House Democratic leaders on Tuesday threw support behind Sen. Dianne Feinstein amid calls from within the party for her resignation, but added a caveat: They expect all Senate Democrats to be present ahead of a battle with Republicans over raising the debt ceiling and passing a budget.
Senate Republicans will block an attempt to replace the California Democrat on the Judiciary Committee with another Democrat amid her prolonged medical absence to advance President Biden’s judicial nominees, increasing pressure on Ms. Feinstein to retire early.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, California Democrat, praised Ms. Feinstein as a “legend” for her work over her three decades in the Senate but suggested her continued absence will have broader negative implications for Senate Democrats’ one-seat majority.
“I think it’s up to Sen. Feinstein to decide her own timeline,” Mr. Aguilar told reporters. “But I will say that our expectation, as House Democrats, is that every senator is going to need to participate as we stave off House Republican attempts to get closer to default [on the national debt].”
Ms. Feinstein, 89, has been absent since she was diagnosed with shingles in February and required hospitalization. Two House Democrats — Ro Khanna of California and Dean Phillips of Minnesota — have publicly called for her resignation so another Democrat can be appointed in her place by her state’s governor.
Ms. Feinstein is not seeking reelection in 2024 but has given no indication she plans to leave office early. She’s also given no return date.
SEE ALSO: GOP senators say they’ll reject Democrats’ plan to replace Feinstein on judiciary committee
“Shingles can be quite debilitating,” Vice Democratic Caucus Chairman Ted Lieu, California Democrat, told reporters. “In America, we don’t tell people to resign because they got shingles.”
Last week, Ms. Feinstein asked the Senate to sub in another Democrat for her Judiciary seat, a rare request that would require Republican support. GOP senators have rebuffed the idea.
Without Ms. Feinstein, the committee is split, which means Mr. Biden’s nominees for the federal bench who cannot receive bipartisan support are in limbo. Senate Republicans say they’ll play no part in helping Democrats advance several “unqualified” and partisan judges by greenlighting a substitute for Ms. Feinstein as Democratic leadership refuses to advance other nominees.
“It is purely the Democratic political choice to hold more reasonable nominees hostage so the unqualified ones can move in a pack,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican. “Senate Republicans will not take part in sidelining a temporarily absent member off a committee just so Democrats can force through their very worst nominees.”
Source:Washington Times
