Two Democratic representatives have publicly urged Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to resign from her position in the Senate over a year before her term is set to conclude.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) tweeted on Wednesday, “It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign. 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.”
Earlier this year, Feinstein contracted shingles, which has kept her out of the Senate. As a result, she is not currently serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee, causing the Democrats’ 10-9 majority to shift to a 9-9 tie with Republicans.
In a statement for NBC News, Rep. Khanna said, “We have a crisis in the judiciary with extremist judges stripping away women’s rights. 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.”
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) expressed his agreement with Khanna’s tweet saying, “I agree with @RoKhanna. Sen. 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.”
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
In March, Feinstein released a statement acknowledging that she had been diagnosed with shingles in February and was receiving medical care for it.
She tweeted, “I want to thank everyone for the well wishes and the hospital staff for providing excellent care. I’m recovering at home now while I continue receiving treatment and look forward to returning to the Senate as soon as possible.”
Feinstein issued a statement on Wednesday expressing her intention to return to Washington as soon as it is safe for her to travel.
She tweeted, “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.”
Feinstein, who will celebrate her 90th birthday in June, disclosed earlier this year that she will not run for re-election in 2024.
