Earlier this week, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) tripped and fell at her San Francisco home, resulting in a trip to the hospital.
The incident came after reports that Feinstein’s daughter has been given power of attorney, raising significant questions as to why Feinstein, who is in undeniably poor health at the age of 90, is still serving as a senator.
Feinstein’s public appearances have done little to boost confidence in her, as it has become clear that she’s not entirely present, and her aides are basically telling her how to vote. Feinstein has decided not to run for re-election in 2024, but there have been bipartisan calls for her resignation. Still, she won’t resign.
According to Chris Jackson, a Democrat strategist who previously served on the DNC Platform Committee in 2020, it’s all about judges.
“Do you guys realize that the judicial appointments will stop if she resigns?” Jackson tweeted Wednesday. “Yes, if she resigned, Newsom could appoint a successor. But Republican support would be needed to add her replacement to the judiciary committee, and I can guarantee that WOULDN’T HAPPEN.”
He added, “I am sure she is staying in office for this very reason. She knows without her, the progress of judges comes to a halt. Keep that in mind.”
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While Joe Biden has modeled his presidency after Barack Obama’s, he’s also learned from Obama’s mistakes. Obama did not prioritize filling judicial vacancies. Biden, however, has capitalized on the Democratic majority in the Senate to appoint as many leftist judges to the judiciary as possible, managing to fill vacancies even faster than Donald Trump’s historically fast pace.
In a separate tweet, Jackson added, “In order to fill Feinstein’s Judiciary seat while she’s out, Democrats need to have unanimous consent — the agreement of all senators — or, failing that, 60 votes in support. With Feinstein out, that means Democrats would need the backing of every Democrat and independent in the Senate, plus at least 10 Republicans.”
Earlier this year, judicial nominations were suddenly unable to move forward when Feinstein was hospitalized with serious neurological complications resulting from shingles. At the time, the public was not told about the neurological condition, called encephalitis, just that she had shingles. Democrats had hoped to get judicial nominations moving again by temporarily replacing Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, GOP support was needed for this to happen, and, for obvious reasons, Republicans didn’t comply.
Jackson’s claim makes perfect sense. Feinstein won’t resign, despite her advanced age and poor health, in the hopes of making it through her term. Democrats need as many left-wing judges in the judiciary as possible. The Senate map for 2024 looks very promising for the Republicans, and they could end up being favored to hold the majority for several cycles. So Feinstein will do everything possible to stay in the Senate and on the ever-so-important Senate Judiciary Committee.
