Dianne Feinstein

WASHINGTON - The Golden State's senior U.S. Senator, Dianne Feinstein, picked up a hammer Wednesday and symbolically began construction on the 2009 presidential inaugural platform.

Feinstein, who chairs the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, was joined Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) in the traditional "First Nail" ceremony which kicks off construction of the platform and planning for the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States on Jan. 20.

WASHINGTON - California's senior U.S. Senator, Dianne Feinstein, took fellow Democrats in the House to the woodshed late Tuesday after they were seen to have caved to Republican pressure to begin oil exploration immediately off the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines.

Three Northern California members of Congress - all Democrats, and all from the Bay Area - make the list of richest elected representatives in Washington D.C., according to a new list compiled by Roll Call of the 50 wealthiest congressional members. Eight politicians from all of California make the list.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-San Francisco) ranks eighth on the list, with an estimated value of $52.34 million. With her husband, financier Richard Blum, Feinstein has a diversified and lucrative stock portfolio that grew by $1.8 million in the last two years. She also owns homes in Hawaii and Tahoe City.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Robert J. McCarthy, a man who figured prominently in the careers of such Golden State political luminaries as Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Brown and many others died Sunday after losing a battle with cancer. He was 61.

WASHINGTON - In reaction to Friday's deadly collision between a packed commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth, the Golden State's two senators launched legislation Tuesday that would require all U.S. railroads to install electronic monitoring equipment aboard all trains.

The bill by California's two Democratic U.S. Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, would require the railroads to install so-called "positive train control" systems.

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced his opening of a 2010 exploratory bid for governor Monday, immediately putting him in the front tier of Republicans to replace Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Poizner, rumored to be interested in running for the job for months, said in a campaign announcement that his campaign would focus on fostering innovation in government and business.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein: Courtesy of Sen. FeinsteinSAN FRANCISCO - California's senior U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, confirmed Thursday that she is indeed considering a run for governor in 2010, further complicating an already potentially complex Democratic gubernatorial field.

Feinstein, who because of a broken ankle sat out the Democratic Convention in Denver, told The San Francisco Chronicle that her decision will be in part made on how many votes Democrats pick up in the Senate this November. The Democrats gain enough votes she may decide to stay in Washington.

DENVER -- California Democratic Party officials said Monday afternoon that a late night dessert reception that was to be hosted by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein will go on -- with Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party filling in for the senator.

The event at the Sheraton Denver -- for delegates only -- will run from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

California's two senators and new vice presidential pick U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) are no strangers to each other.

In fact, they've often worked together on legislation and such topics as opposing or endorsing judicial nominees.

Already facing little time to add items to the Nov. 4 ballot, Assembly Democrats unveiled a water bond proposal Friday morning that they believe can get needed legislative support.

Members of an Assembly working group on water said the proposal for a $9.8 billion water bond could be vetted and approved quickly enough to still make the Nov. 4 ballot, but said they also want to give it full consideration and examination before voters see it.