Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is moving to temporarily replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on the powerful Judiciary Committee, after Feinstein acknowledged medical complications from shingles have kept her sidelined for longer than expected.
The move could help Senate Democrats advance federal judges for confirmation — a key goal in any administration, but one that both parties have put particular focus on in recent years, as partisan divides have grown wider in U.S. society.
Feinstein, 89, hasn’t cast a vote since Feb. 16, missing nearly 60 of the Senate’s 82 votes so far this session. She’s the oldest member of Congress, and said in early March that she was hospitalized with shingles.
Plan for a temporary switch follows calls for resignation
Even before her shingles case, Feinstein’s age and cognitive health were a concern, with worrying signs that the senator was having problems with her memory. Feinstein announced last year that she won’t seek reelection in 2024.
Several Democrats recently called on her to resign before her term is up, including California Rep. Ro Khanna — who spoke out weeks after becoming the co-chair of Rep. Barbara Lee’s campaign to replace Feinstein.
“While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties,” Khanna said.
As Roll Call notes, among the declared candidates, “Lee would be in the best position to benefit from Feinstein resigning early, as California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he would appoint a Black woman to fill the seat if there were ever a vacancy.”
What Feinstein and Schumer are saying
Feinstein says she…
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