Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announced Monday evening that she will be stepping down from her role as leading Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“After serving as the lead Democrat on the Judiciary Committee for four years, I will not seek the chairmanship or ranking member position in the next Congress,” Feinstein announced.
The announcement comes on the heels of leftist calls for Feinstein to step aside over apparently being insufficiently progressive and daring to thank Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) on how he ran the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
In October, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, a pro-abortion group that has given Feinstein a 100% congressional scorecard rating, slammed the Democrat and called for “new leadership,” The Daily Wire reported:
“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.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), too, revealed that he had a “serious” conversation with Feinstein.
“I’ve had a long and serious talk with Senator Feinstein, and that’s all I’m going to say about it right now,” said Schumer, when asked about potential plans to make changes to the judiciary committee.
Feinstein has served as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee since 2017 and previously served as chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.
“California is a huge state confronting two existential threats – wildfire and drought – that are only getting worse with climate change. In the next Congress, I plan to increase my attention on those two crucial issues,” the Democrat said in a statement released Monday. “I also believe that defeating COVID-19, combating climate change and protecting access to health care are critical national priorities that require even more concentration.”
“I look forward to continuing to serve as a senior Democrat on the Judiciary, Intelligence, Appropriations and Rules committees as we work with the Biden administration on priorities like gun safety, immigration reform and addressing inequities in criminal justice,” Feinstein added. “I will continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years.”
Feinstein's full statement: pic.twitter.com/yqh7w7gvHe
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) November 23, 2020
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced Monday that he intends to “seek the top Democratic position on the Judiciary Committee in the 117th Congress.”
“I intend to seek the top Democratic position on the Judiciary Committee in the 117th Congress,” he said in a statement. “I have served on the Committee for 22 years, and I am its most senior member who does not currently serve atop another Senate Committee. We have to roll up our sleeves and get to work on undoing the damage of the last four years and protecting fundamental civil and human rights.”
“For the last four years, Republicans leading the Senate Judiciary Committee have turned a blind eye to the worst abuses of the Trump era,” Durbin claimed. “While President Trump assaulted the Constitution, the Judiciary Committee abdicated its oversight responsibilities and became little more than a conveyor belt to rubberstamp ideological and largely underqualified judicial nominees. The to-do list for the Senate Judiciary Committee is long, and of critical importance to the future progress of our country.”
Dick Durbin: “I intend to seek the top Democratic position on the Judiciary Committee in the 117th Congress." pic.twitter.com/g6NDGqqVZs
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) November 24, 2020