Feinstein’s financial elder abuse lawsuit heads into mediation

by Eden Villalovas

A San Francisco judge sent Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) lawsuit against the trustees of her late husband's estate into mediation on Monday, hoping to resolve the three legal cases filed by her daughter over the summer.

Katherine Feinstein, who has power of attorney in her mother's legal affairs, filed three lawsuits in recent months alleging the managers of Richard Blum's estate, the senator's husband who died in February 2022, committed "financial elder abuse."

Superior Court Judge Roger Picquet urged the parties to privately conclude the matters through a dispute resolution process. While open to negotiations, Blum trustees have denied any wrongdoings.

"I'm looking for a global outcome if we can get it," Picquet said in a hearing, per the San Francisco Chronicle.

Katherine Feinstein alleged her mother is being stiffed on payments for large medical bills, which she hoped to pay through reimbursement from the marital trust.

The Blum trustees' attorney, Steven Braccini, raised doubts multiple times about whether Katherine Feinstein has power of attorney over her mother and stated his clients have "never denied any disbursement to Sen. Feinstein, let alone for medical expenses" in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle. Michael Klein and Marc Scholvinck are the two main trustees, but Katherine Feinstein alleged they were not properly appointed by Blum or the senator. Dianne Feinstein appointed her daughter as a co-trustee of the estate in August 2022.

In the latest court filing, Klein and Scholvinck, both longtime business affiliates of Blum, point to Dianne Feinstein's high income, claiming her net worth is more than $50 million.

The remainder of the trust is expected to go to Blum's three daughters from a prior marriage, Annette, Heidi, and Eileen Blum. A June lawsuit indicates a rift between Katherine Feinstein and her stepsisters, as the three women want to continue using the estate.

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Feinstein’s financial elder abuse lawsuit heads into mediation