A major pro-abortion group has soured on Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), 87, who has a 100% rating on their congressional scorecard, for her recent performance during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
Illyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called for Feinstein to step down Friday as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and accused the California senator of wrongly offering “an appearance of credibility” to the hearings.
“This nomination is illegitimate and this process is a sham. Tens of millions of Americans have already voted and majorities have said unequivocally that they want to choose the next president who should fill this seat,” declared Hogue in a statement on Friday afternoon. “Amy Barrett and this power grab pose a grave threat to every freedom and right we hold dear and tears the very fabric of our democracy.”
“Americans—whose lives hang in the balance—deserve leadership that underscores how unprecedented, shameful, and wrong this process is. The Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, failed to make this clear and in fact offered an appearance of credibility to the proceedings that is wildly out of step with the American people. As such, we believe the committee needs new leadership,” she said.
This is not normal, these hearings are not legitimate. Dianne Feinstein gave credibility to the process when the majority of Americans have been clear that they want to choose the next president—and the next president should fill the vacancy. The committee needs new leadership. pic.twitter.com/Szaxb2S6Wh
— NARAL (@NARAL) October 16, 2020
While Feinstein has been the subject of attacks from Democrats and left-wing activists over the last few weeks, the attacks seem to have ramped up in the last two days. These new attacks have coincided with criticism of her willingness to praise Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsay Graham (R-SC) for how he ran the hearings.
SEN. FEINSTEIN: Mr. Chairman Graham, I just want to thank you. This has been one of the best Senate hearings I have participated in. Thank you for your fairness and opportunity of going back and worth. It leaves one with a lot of hopes. pic.twitter.com/ZjcrNXCtyE
— Senate Republican Communications Center (@SRCC) October 15, 2020
In the aftermath of the Barrett hearings, two other left-wing groups also called for Feinstein to step down from her role as ranking member of the judiciary committee.
Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice and the former national press secretary to the 2016 Clinton campaign, accused Feinstein of undercutting Democrats at “every step of this process” and also called for the California senator’s colleagues to intervene if she refuses to step down from her committee leadership role.
“This was a moment for all Democrats to fight and instead [Senator Feinstein] cozied up with Lindsey Graham & undermined her own Democratic colleagues. She needs to step down from her role on the Judiciary Committee now. We need fierce leadership for the fights ahead,” said MoveOn, another organization, on Twitter.
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Related: Senate Dems Toss Feinstein Under The Bus Ahead Of SCOTUS Battle: ‘She Can’t Pull This Off’