Global Courant 2023-04-13 05:34:45
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), senior member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and other Democratic leaders stand on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during a press conference following their boycott of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, USA on October 22, 2020.
Ken Cedeno | Reuters
Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., faces calls to resign from fellow Democrats in Congress after extended Senate absence due to health problems.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., became the first member of Congress Wednesday afternoon to call on Feinstein to resign.
“It is time for @SenFeinstein to resign,” he tweeted. “We must put country above personal loyalty. Although she has been in public service for a lifetime, it is clear that she can no longer fulfill her duties. By not speaking out, our credibility as elected representatives of the people is undermined.”
Khanna explained in a message to NBC News: “We have a crisis in the judiciary with extremist judges stripping women’s rights. You can’t preach on television about the danger of these judges and then sit still while Senator Feinstein misses vote after vote . confirm pro-choice judges.”
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“It’s time for California officials who care deeply about reproductive rights to call for her to step down at this moment in history,” he said.
Concerns are growing that Feinstein’s extended absence will hamper Senate Democrats, especially when it comes to confirming judges, given her central voice on the Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., quickly chimed in to say he agrees with Khanna. “Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable,” Phillips said tweeted. “But I believe it is now dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and dereliction of duty for those who agree to keep their mouths shut.”
Feinstein, 89, who has not voted in the Senate since Feb. 16, said in early March that she had been diagnosed with shingles. Her office said it has no update on when she will be back.
Feinstein, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, has said she will not seek re-election but has 20 months left in her term. Khanna has Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., signed on to replace her.
Lee is competing with other prominent California House Democrats, Adam Schiff and Katie Porter. Lee could be a big beneficiary if Feinstein decides to step down early, as Governor Gavin Newsom has said he will nominate a black woman to the chair if Feinstein decides to retire early and create a vacancy.
