Senator Dianne Feinstein is pressured by her own party to resign while on medical leave.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California urged the long-serving California senator to resign on Wednesday as she heals from shingles.
“We need to put 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.”
Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota said he agreed.
“Sen. Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable,” he tweeted. “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
Feinstein, 89, said in a statement Wednesday night that her return to Washington “has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis,” adding that she will return “as soon as my medical team advises that it is safe for me to travel.”
Feinstein announced on March 7 that she was out of the hospital and receiving treatment at home as she recovered from the infection. She said she looked “forward to returning to the Senate as soon as possible.” A week before that, she said she hoped to return to Washington later in March.
The Senate has been on recess since March 31 but will reconvene next week.
Since her diagnosis in late February, Feinstein has missed nearly 60 votes. She last voted on February 16th.
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, recently told CNN that her absence had slowed the confirmation of federal judges.
“I can’t consider nominees under these circumstances because a tie vote is a losing vote in committee,” Durbin added, referring to the 10-10 political split.
Following Durbin’s comments, former President Barack Obama’s speechwriter Jon Lovett said Feinstein should step down.
“Dianne Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate,” he said on the podcast Pod Save America. “She should resign and more people should call on her to resign.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued that the resignation requests were motivated by misogyny.
“Sen. Feinstein has been a champion for California,” Pelosi told CBS San Francisco. “For 20 years, I have been the leader or the Speaker of the House fighting for California and I have seen up close and firsthand her great leadership for our country, but especially for our state of California,” Pelosi said. “She deserves the respect to get well and be back on duty. It’s interesting to me. I don’t know what political agendas at work are going after Sen. Feinstein in that way.”
Feinstein announced days before her hospitalization that she would not run for reelection in 2024.
