Chuck Grassley defends Dianne Feinstein against calls to push her out of Senate

Jack Birle

May 03, 12:38 PM May 03, 12:38 PM

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is defending Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) against calls to resign over her extended absence from the Senate as she recovers from shingles.

Grassley, 89, told CNN that it is "a shame" that some are calling for Feinstein, 89, to resign. Feinstein, who is in California as she recovers from a bout of shingles, has been out since February. The 89-year-old has said she intends to return to the Senate.

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“I think it’s a shame that they’ve been picking on her for two years,” Grassley said.

The Iowa Republican also lamented how those calling for Feinstein to resign are "picking on somebody that's older" and that they are not showing "proper respect."

"They're picking on somebody that's older, and it just doesn't show the proper respect," said Grassley. "So, let's just leave it this way. They should leave her alone. She's sick."

Grassley also denounced how Feinstein was not selected to be the chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when Democrats took control of the chamber in 2021. Feinstein had served as ranking member from 2017 until 2021, but Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) was selected to be chairman under the Democratic majority.

Feinstein was released from the hospital in March and has already said she will not seek another term for her Senate seat, which she was first elected to in 1992. The race for her seat is already shaping up to be a fierce battle between Golden State Democrats.

If she were to resign, it would mean Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) would get to appoint a replacement until an election is held for the seat. Newsom appointed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) to fill the vacancy left by then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) when she resigned to become vice president in 2021.

Having to appoint Feinstein's successor could be a political nightmare for Newsom amid the hotly contested primary for the seat, and Newsom has said he has been engulfed in communications from people trying to replace Feinstein.

Khanna says Democrats are privately praising his Feinstein resignation call

Emily Jacobs

April 15, 07:17 PM April 15, 07:18 PM

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who has been embroiled in an intra-party dispute over his call for Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) resignation, said over the weekend that Democrats have expressed support for his move in private.

Feinstein, who at 89 is the Senate's oldest member, has been absent from the chamber since being diagnosed with shingles in February. Democrats only control the chamber by a 51-49 margin, meaning that one absence gives Republicans an opportunity to block President Joe Biden's nominees and legislative efforts.

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After years of criticisms from inside her party that she was no longer up to the job, Feinstein said in February she wouldn't seek reelection in 2024, though she vowed to serve out the remaining 20 months of her term.

Tensions over Feinstein's absence boiled over as it became clear this week that she would not return at the conclusion of Senate recess on Monday, with two House Democrats, including one from her home state, calling for her resignation. The lawmakers, Khanna and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), said Tuesday in separate statements that while the longtime California lawmaker deserved praise for her storied political career, her health problems were affecting her ability to fulfill her duties.

Feinstein offered a compromise amid pressure over her absence on Wednesday, saying she would ask to be replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee until her return. The panel has been paralyzed as a result of Feinstein's absence, which leaves Democrats without the necessary votes to advance Biden's judicial nominees.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he would ask the Senate next week to allow another Democrat to serve on the panel, but the move will require Republican support, and it is unclear if the GOP will comply.

Asked how Democrats have responded to his decision to go public with what many in the party had already said anonymously to major news outlets in recent years, Khanna said he had received largely positive feedback from fellow lawmakers.

"Quite a few people have said in private, [have] texted [me] saying they agree with that," the House Democrat said on MSNBC on Saturday.

"I think many colleagues are hoping she will come to the conclusion on her own [to resign]," he added. "They have a lot of respect for her, they don't want to push her in a corner, but they're hoping that she will make this decision to have dignity in ending a distinguished career."

Most Democrats have either remained silent or defended Feinstein in the wake of the renewed dispute over her capacity to do her job. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) both appeared to imply that sexism and political motivations were involved in the push to oust the veteran senator.

The two seemed to be referencing the absence of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Khanna's endorsement of Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) in the Democratic primary to fill Feinstein's seat in 2024. Lee is polling behind Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Katie Porter (D-CA), but she is believed to be Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D-CA) front-runner to replace Feinstein were the senator to resign early. If Newsom were to appoint Lee, she would have the benefit of incumbency in her primary race and likely see a boost in the polls.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), meanwhile, said she was taking a wait-and-see approach and would give Feinstein a month or so before reassessing the matter.