The Democrat has missed “vote after vote to confirm pro-choice judges.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein is facing mounting calls to resign from fellow congressional Democrats in response to her prolonged absence from the Senate. California Rep. Ro Khanna was the first to speak out yesterday, tweeting: “It is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties.”
“It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign,” he wrote. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”
No intention of resigning
Feinstein, who is 89 years old, has been off work due to health issues — but has vowed to return to her post.
In a statement released Wednesday night, the California Democrat said her return to the Capitol “has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis,” but didn’t indicate a timeline for her return. She explained that she planned to “work from home” until her medical team said it was safe for her to travel.
Feinstein reportedly suffers from shingles, which causes an uncomfortable rash, but isn’t a seriously threatening illness.
Endangering women’s rights?
Feinstein announced in February that she wasn’t planning to run for reelection in 2024, and she’s not cast a vote since. Her current term ends in 2025. As her colleagues have pointed out, the loss of her vote on the Judiciary Committee is pivotal at a time when super-conservative judges are being appointed, and when Democrats have an 11-10 majority.
“We have a crisis in the judiciary with extremist judges stripping away women’s rights,” Khanna told NBC News. “You can’t preach on television about the danger of these judges and then sit silently as Senator Feinstein misses vote after vote to confirm pro-choice judges.”
“It’s time for California officials who care deeply about reproductive rights to call on her to step down at this moment in history,” he added.
A key concession
Just hours after Khanna’s initial calls for her to leave, Feinstein announced that she will temporarily give up her seat on the Judiciary Committee — but that was the extent of her concessions. Given the dark mood of her colleagues, this may not be sufficient to allay their concerns.
Rep. Dean Phillips added his voice to the chorus calling for her departure, tweeting last night: “
“I agree with @RoKhanna. Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe it’s now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet.”
A historic legacy
Feinstein, who assumed office in 1992, is currently the oldest member of the U.S. Senate. All the other top 10 oldest members of the Senate are men, including Republican Chuck Grassley — also 89 — and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who’s 81. If she works until the end of her current term in office, she’ll become the longest-tenured female senator and the longest-serving senator from California.
