WASHINGTON ― Prominent progressives are calling for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) resigned or resigned from her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee over concerns that her absence would hinder the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominee.
“We must put our country ahead of personal loyalty,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) tweeted on Friday, calling on Feinstein to resign. “Although he has spent his life in public service, it is clear that he is no longer able to do his job. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.
Feinstein, 89, was hospitalized in early March after an attack of herpes. California’s longest-serving senator, who announced his retirement at the end of 2024, was released from the hospital a week later and is recovering in San Francisco. He said he expects to make a full recovery and hopes to return to the Senate “as soon as possible.”
However, Democrats close to Feinstein and some Democratic congressional aides are concerned that she will not return to Washington, according to Politico.
Feinstein’s absence – the last vote in the Senate was on February 16 – has stopped the committee from voting on one of Biden’s nominations to the federal appeals court. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Judiciary Committee Chairman, said CNN recently the prolonged absence of one of its members could have greater ramifications in the ability of Democrats to confirm judges.
Feinstein’s office told HuffPost on Wednesday that she did not have an update on when the senator would return to the Senate. The chamber has taken a two-week break and is scheduled to return to session on Monday.
Indivisible, a progressive advocacy group, called on Feinstein to step down from the Judiciary Committee so Democrats can confirm more judges and fight GOP efforts to restrict abortion, such as a Texas district court ruling that suspended the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide. .
“If Sen. Feinstein cannot be present for a critical vote on the issue, then she should step down from the committee so that business can continue without further delay,” said Ezra Levin, executive director for Indivisible. statement to HuffPost. “As we saw in the mifepristone case from Texas, it’s the kind of judges who make our federal courts existential for our basic rights.”
Jon Lovett, host of “Pod Save America” and former Obama speechwriter, also said Feinstein should step down before she retires in 2024.
“Because they’re not on the Judiciary Committee … they can’t move many of these lower court nominations to the Senate for a vote,” Lovett. said on this week’s episode of the podcast.
“Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She should resign, and more and more people are calling for her to resign,” he said.
Prominent legal scholars also weighed in on the matter this week.
“Schumer should remove Feinstein from the Judiciary Committee and replace her ASAP,” tweeted Norm Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
Feinstein announced her retirement in February after many questions about her mental acuity, including among Senate Democrats.
Three California Democrats in the House have said they plan to run for her seat: Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Katie Porter.
If Feinstein resigns, California governor Gavin Newsom (D) has pledged to appoint a black woman to replace her in the Senate. That could be Lee, who became the highest-ranking black woman appointed to lead the Democratic House.
Senate Democrats have not pushed Feinstein out, at least publicly. Sen. Richard Whitehouse (DR.I.), asked about the call for Feinstein to step down by WPRI’s Ted Nesi on Friday, said she has the right to make a decision about her own future.