Fellow Democrats Call for Sen. Dianne Feinstein to Resign Amid Ongoing Health Issues

Some Democrats are urging Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to retire from the Senate due to concerns over the impact of her prolonged absence as she copes with ongoing health issues.

Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) have both taken to Twitter on April 12th to call for the resignation of the 89-year-old senator, claiming that she can no longer fulfill her duties.

Feinstein, who is recuperating from the shingles virus, had already announced in February that she would not run for re-election in 2024.

“It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign,” Khanna wrote in a tweet. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”

Khanna has expressed his calls for Feinstein’s departure more in detail in a statement to NBC News, highlighting her critical role at the Judiciary Committee and explaining how her absence is delaying President Joe Biden’s judicial nominations in the Senate.

“We have a crisis in the judiciary with extremist judges stripping away women’s rights. You can’t preach on television about the danger of these judges and then sit silently as Senator Feinstein misses vote after vote to confirm pro-choice judges,” Khanna said. “It’s time for California officials who care deeply about reproductive rights to call on her to step down at this moment in history.”

“Dereliction of Duty”

Phillips of Minnesota also agrees with Khanna, stating on Twitter, “I agree with @RoKhanna. Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe it’s now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet.”

Feinstein, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, is the longest-serving senator in her state’s history, the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history, and is the oldest sitting member of the Senate.

However, she has not been present for Senate voting since mid-February when she was diagnosed with shingles, a viral infection that causes an unpleasant rash and blisters on one side of the body.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shingles is usually not life-threatening and most people typically recover within two to four weeks. However, elderly individuals who have compromised immune systems are more prone to severe complications.

Feinstein Strikes Back

Following her diagnosis announcement, Feinstein stated in a release that she was receiving treatment.