(Liberty Bell) – California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the oldest member of Congress at 89-years of age and it shows. It’s no secret and since she repeated a question to then-Twitter CEO in 2020 during a Senate Judiciary Committee, things have only gone downhill.
It’s gotten so bad that many of her fellow Democrats have jumped ship and are calling for her to resign.
Democrats need her to resign if they have any hope of continuing to shove through Joe Biden’s judicial nominees which is a paramount pursuit for them as they attempt to obtain permanent control.
Feinstein does not seem to be interested in resigning but has said she does not plan to run for reelection in 2024 (although an aide had to remind her of that decision).
Feinstein hasn’t resigned despite being sidelined with what seems to be a bad case of shingles. Not only has she refused to step down, she hasn’t relinquished her seat on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee leaving it deadlocked at 10-10 which prevents Biden from getting his nominees out of committee.
Newsweek reports she has missed 58 votes during her illness, 25 of which were for judicial nominees.
Though she refuses to give up her committee seat, she has requested to be temporarily replaced by Maryland Democrat Sen. Ben Cardin. This request was embraced by Democrats with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer giving a rousing speech in an effort to convince Republicans to get on board.
GOP Senators didn’t take the bait. Tuesday evening they blocked it. Democrats don’t have the votes necessary to pass the resolution without some Republicans defecting but it isn’t likely to happen.
“She’s a dear friend and we hope for her speedy recovery and return back to the Senate,” GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina stated after objecting to Schumer’s request for unanimous consent on the resolution to temporarily replace Feinstein before calling out the effort for what it is.
“With all due respect, my colleague, Sen. Schumer, this is about a handful of judges that you can’t get the votes for,” Graham remarked.
Feinstein was hospitalized in March and made the request for a temporary replacement for her on the Judiciary Committee in a statement released April 12.
“When I was first diagnosed with shingles, I expected to return by the end of the March work period,” she noted. “Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis.”
“I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it’s safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco.
I understand that my absence could delay the important work of the Judiciary Committee, so I’ve asked Leader Schumer to ask the Senate to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve until I’m able to resume my committee work.”
Schumer tried his darndest to garner sympathy from Republicans but fortunately they held firm against this plot.
“Today, I am acting not just as Leader but as Dianne’s friend, in honoring her wishes, until she returns to the Senate,” the New York Democrat asserted.
“When someone as dear and as accomplished as Senator Feinstein asks us for something so important to her, we ought to respect it,” he added.
As touching as all that is, Republicans fully understand what is at stake should they concede and allow Feinstein to be replaced. Democrats are crazy for even trying. Now it’s likely that calls for Feinstein to retire will intensify.
Democratic New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman commented “yes” when asked by CNN on Monday if she should resign.
“She’s had a very long and stellar career, you know, but missing that many votes, stopping us from moving forward with our judge nominations,” he declared.
Fellow New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Feinstein’s resignation is “unfortunately something that I think it is appropriate to consider.”
Ro Khanna — who is co-chairman of fellow California Rep. Barbara Lee’s campaign for the Senate seat when it gets vacated — was one of the first individuals calling for Feinstein to resign, saying that if she can’t advance judicial nominees, she can “no longer fulfill” what she was elected to do.
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips seconded Khanna’s statement and slammed her decision to stay on as “a dereliction of duty.”
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. https://t.co/lvaHhLJYsi
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) April 12, 2023
Now that Republicans have shut down the effort to replace her on the committee, Democrats are likely going to grow impatient with more calling for her to step down.
Mental disability and decline are only tolerated and celebrated when the inflicted individual is useful to the party. Dementia Joe gives them the White House and Sen. John Fetterman gives them the Senate majority. Feinstein, however, is now standing in the way and that’s where all compassion comes to a full stop.
Copyright 2023. LibertyBell.com
