Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s prolonged absence from Capitol Hill is putting Republicans and Democrats in an awkward position.
Her medical leave is holding up nominees in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Feinstein is a member, and putting Democrats down a vote in the narrowly split chamber. It’s unsustainable if Democrats want to actually confirm judicial appointments, especially at the pace Republicans did when they held the Senate majority.
For Republicans, that means blocking a replacement—even a temporary one—that would open up the judicial nominee spigot while Feinstein recovers. Allowing Cardin to take her place, they argue, would be disrespectful to Feinstein, who has served on the Judiciary Committee since she came to the Senate in 1993. It’s perhaps just a happy accident that replacing her means Democrats can’t confirm judges.
In that hesitancy, Democrats and Republicans have entered a battle for moral high ground on the matter, wherein everyone is trying to avoid being the bad guy and call out the other party for being at fault. “This is all on Dianne, more than anything,” Sen. Jon Tester told The Daily Beast Tuesday. “And Dianne has been here and accomplished some marvelous things. And she will have to make a decision whether she’s gonna continue or not. But it’s not my decision or anybody else’s. It’s got to be hers.”Tester added that Feinstein understood “the functionality—or lack of functionality—that’s been created.”
But Republicans also contend that they’re ready to block her request for a temporary replacement on the Judiciary Committee, as they did Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer proposed the replacement by unanimous consent—and Sen. Lindsey Graham swiftly rejected it. That was that, at least for now.
Other GOP senators say Democrats are playing politics with the situation, that it’s all some sort of twisted plot to force Feinstein out of office altogether.“This is a maneuver designed to fail,” he added. “This has never been done—this kind of swapping one member for another. I think they know it’ll fail. And then they’ll flip around and say to her, ‘See, you have to resign.’ And it’s terrible.”
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tom Del Beccaro warns Republicans won't help Democrats replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein -SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer says he’ll move to temporarily replace Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee. Feinstein has been out of office for health reasons, but her absence is making it hard for the Senate to approve nominations from the president. Feinstein released a statement asking Schumer to temporarily replace her on the...
Read more »
Senate Republicans Block Democrats' Request to Replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Judiciary PanelRepublicans blocked a Democratic request to temporarily replace California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.
Read more »
Dianne Feinstein Is Becoming a Big Liability—And Republicans Know ItRepublicans seem to be set on blocking Senator Dianne Feinstein's request to be temporarily taken off the Senate Judiciary Committee, which could prompt a bitter fight in the Senate.
Read more »
Senate Republicans won't support temporarily replacing Sen. Dianne FeinsteinDemocratic leaders in the Senate say they’re open to replacing her until she’s able to get back to Washington, but they’ll need Republican votes to do that. Now Republicans in the Senate are saying they’re not going along with that plan.
Read more »
Senate Democrats face uphill battle in temporarily replacing Dianne Feinstein on Judiciary CommitteeSen. Dianne Feinstein's unusual request to be temporarily replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she continues to recuperate from a long illness may not be one that's easily granted.
Read more »