California Governor Gavin Newsom declined to call on 90-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to resign from her office amid continued health problems and her apparent inability to fully function as a senator.
Newsom made the remarks during an interview with Chuck Todd that aired Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet The Press.”
“The senior senator here has – her daughter apparently has power of attorney,” Todd said. “She as an elected official has power of attorney over 40 million people’s representation in Washington, D.C. Why should she still be serving as a senator?”
“Well, I leave it to her,” Newsom responded. “I told you, I’m – I’m the most subjective human being in the world on this topic. I have no objectivity whatsoever. I’ve known Dianne Feinstein since I was a kid. I interned with her in college. I still have a signed book from my days when she was mayor.”
Newsom defended Feinstein, saying that it “wasn’t that long ago” where she would call him to read laws to him “related to forest management, vegetation management, what we’re doing in the central valley on drought and water issues. Again, that wasn’t the black-and-white movie days. That was not too long ago.”
Newsom then suggested that her staff are the ones who are really running the show, saying that they are “extraordinarily active.”
He said that he is confident that her staff was fulfilling her duties. “I don’t think it, I know it,” he said. “We’re working extraordinarily closely together.”
Newsom said that he does not want to make the another appointment for a U.S. Senate seat in the state after he had to do so with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) leaving to become vice president.
“It would be completely unfair to the Democrats that have worked their tail off,” he said. “That primary is just a matter of months away. I don’t want to tip the balance of that.”
WATCH:
WATCH: Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) says Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) should decide her future, saying, “I leave it to her.”@GavinNewsom: “I don’t want to make another [Senate] appointment, and I don’t think the people of California want me to make another appointment.” pic.twitter.com/4uzbDiwz23
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) September 10, 2023