California Governor Gavin Newsom’s pick to replace recently deceased Democratic senator Diane Feinstein has raised eyebrows after it emerged that she resided with her family in Maryland until recently.
Late on Sunday night, his office announced he had chosen Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY’s List, which works to elect women in favor of abortion to public office, to fulfill the remainder of the late senator’s term. Feinstein died, aged 90, on Thursday following a period of ill health.
“A trusted adviser to [Vice President Kamala] Harris and leader of the nation’s largest organization dedicated to electing women, Butler will make history as the first Black lesbian to openly serve in Congress,” Newsom’s office said.
California law permits the governor to appoint a senator until the next election, due to take place in 2024. Butler previously worked in California on the presidential campaigns of Harris and Hillary Clinton.
However, questions have been raised over the choice after mention of Butler’s residence in Maryland was scrubbed from her biography on the EMILY’s List website. Archives of the site show it was still mentioned as recently as September 14, but now appears to have been deleted.
Read more at Newsweek.com
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