Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, who has been a politician since 1969, is facing calls to resign from her Democrat peers. She has another idea: she has requested a ‘temporary’ arrangement in which she would be replaced due to an ongoing medical issue.
Reports surfaced earlier this week indicating Feinstein had missed 58 Senate votes (60 of 82 overall this year) since being hospitalized with shingles.
Shingles can be an incredibly painful rash in which the pain persists even after the rash itself dissipates.
The problem, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle, is that her absence, coupled with Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman’s extended treatment for depression, is holding up confirmation of President Biden’s judicial nominees and/or getting legislation passed.
The Democrats currently own a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, and without those two at work, the only way for them to move forward is with a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Dianne Feinstein, 89, is MIA and has missed 60 of the 82 votes the Senate has taken this year, and her absence is holding up the confirmation of Biden’s judicial picks at a really critical time. She needs to resign right now, not retire after the term. https://t.co/nHveg9JTyI
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) April 11, 2023
RELATED: Senator Dianne Feinstein Announces Retirement, Then Seems Unaware She Did
Dianne Feinstein Defends Leave, Bats Away Calls to Resign
Senator Dianne Feinstein has defended her leave in recent months as being unexpected in length due to the medical complications involved with the shingles.
And, in a spectacular display of ageism, a pair of Democrats publicly called for her resignation.
Not the guy in Fetterman who suffered a stroke that left him incapable of communicating with his colleagues, was hospitalized overnight just one month into his term, and who has lost a significant amount of time being treated for severe clinical depression – after having only served in the Senate since January.
No, the problem is exclusively Feinstein. Democrat Representatives Ro Khanna (CA) and Dean Phillips (MN) have made that quite clear.
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.
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) April 12, 2023
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“It’s time for (Feinstein) to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty,” Khanna tweeted.
“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.”
Phillips chimed in shortly thereafter voicing his agreement with Khanna’s sentiments.
“Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable,” Phillips wrote. “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.”
Fetterman is set to return to work in the Senate on April 17th. He had been hospitalized in early March. It is nearly an identical timeframe to Feinstein’s absence.
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
RELATED: Report: Congress, Staff Violated Conflict-of-Interest Laws With Personal Finances
Not Prepared to Go Anywhere
Despite mounting pressure to resign immediately, Dianne Feinstein has indicated she will continue in her role, but did offer a temporary solution.
She requested Wednesday for Senate Leader Chuck Schumer “to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve” on the Senate Judiciary Committee “until I’m able to resume my committee work.”
The senator did not provide a timeline for when she expects to be able to resume her duties.
Feinstein asks to be ‘temporarily’ replaced on Judiciary amid some party pressure to resign from the Senate https://t.co/aEW8Xj7LED
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) April 13, 2023
Just weeks before being hospitalized with shingles, Feinstein announced her retirement, issuing a statement indicating she would not seek re-election in 2024.
“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” the statement read.
Hours later, speaking to reporters, she seemed unaware that she had made the announcement. Her staff later chalked it up to a miscommunication on when the statement would be released.
Feinstein on her retirement: “I haven’t made that decision. I haven’t released anything.”
Staffer: “We put out the statement.”
Feinstein: “You put out the statement? I didn’t know they put it out.”
— Savannah Behrmann (@SavBehrmannDC) February 14, 2023
To be fair, Democrats have been calling for Dianne Feinstein to resign for quite some time.
The San Francisco Chronicle this past April reported that her Senate colleagues anonymously blasted her as not being mentally competent enough to do her job as a lawmaker.
Feinstein, according to a report by the New Yorker in 2020, had been “seriously struggling” with cognitive decline back then.
She will be 91 years old when her current term ends in 2024.
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Power must be the greatest addiction: this 90-year-old senile and sick woman can’t give up her political power even though she no longer is capable of doing her job. Incredible.
Hey, Dems,
You can’t get rid of Diane, she’s out on Family and Medical Leave Act. Her employer, the state of California, is Reguired By Law to hold her job for her. You all enacted that remember? Now if onluy one or two more Democratic Senators would have a serious medical or family need for extended leave we could get on with the business of getting the American Apple Cart right side up and restocked with common sense.
There is a few others that need to be retired also, like Walters, Sanders, Pelosi to name a few
I am deeply concerned over the mental and emotional stability of the politicians and bureaucrats in Washington whatever their age may be. All elected federal and state politicians and senior bureaucrats should be tested for cognitive facilities and emotional stability before taking office. The federal government has exceeded its Constitutional authority and should be decentralized and defanged in regards to the internal affairs of the United States. Because of what is happening at and within our borders, we are losing all moral authority in our foreign affairs.
The Dems are sick of her pissing on the Senate floor.
Will be unsubscribing, tired of the censorship by so called conservative sites.
THAT’S rich!
What you are saying is “it sucks to have (your) say carry the weight it is worth so you will go where it is artificially propped up by companies specifically hiring liberal leaning censors and editors to increase visibility of your opinion; whereas here you must sink or swim on the intrinsic value of those positions.
C-ya!
Where are my comments? there is no violence nor racism or vulgarity just the truth!
This old bag is not about we the people, its all about her. She needs to go and we need term limits.
“Ageism” a new term for progressive take over of our society. I guess it should be expected. We’ll likely see a lot more of it. Why not apply to Biden? Trump? I will say Trump still seems quite mentally and physically alive.
Either put age limits in place or live with the result.
Age limits, by themselves, would not be effective. Throughout history, some of our wisest sages were elderly with decades of experience, observation and self-control. Then you have idiots like Schiff and Swalwell or medically and mentally challenged like Fetterman. Yes, age might be a sign for potential unfitness for office, but social behavior is a stronger Indicator.
We need term limits on these old relics. This old bag is a self-serving politician who needs to go.