A California Democrat is continuing his push for fellow Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein to resign, despite facing backlash for his demands.
Rep. Ro Khanna of Silicon Valley said on Fox News Sunday that “only in Washington would you get criticized for saying something so obvious” and noted that Feinstein has missed 75% of votes this year. He argued that powerful people in Washington are defying common sense by not rallying behind his cause.
Khanna’s calls have been met with criticism from House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, who suggested the calls are rooted in sexism. Khanna has dismissed the gender–focused rebuttal, and compared his demands to the recent inpatient treatment for depression Sen. John Fetterman (D–PA) received. Khanna said that while Fetterman is expected to return to work this week, Feinstein has no return date.
Feinstein announced in early March that she had been hospitalized in San Francisco after being diagnosed with a case of shingles. Though she said she hoped to return to Washington, D.C., by the end of March, Feinstein announced this week that her plans were “delayed due to continued complications” related to her diagnosis and asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–NY) to temporarily replace her on the Judiciary Committee.
The 89–year–old is the Senate’s oldest member and in recent years some colleagues have raised concerns about her mental fitness. Feinstein announced in February she would not seek re–election in 2024 but has resisted calls for her to step down early. Three prominent House Democrats — Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, and Barbara Lee — have announced campaigns to replace Feinstein in the Senate. Khanna is the co–chairman of Lee’s campaign.
Fox News anchor Shannon Bream asked Khanna if there was any political motivation behind his calls for Feinstein to step down because Lee, who is a black woman, could be a top choice. Khanna said that his support for Lee’s campaign has nothing to do with the current race because California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom could appoint a caretaker, and he would support the governor doing that.
Khanna insisted that what he said out loud was “what people have been saying in private” and observed that people in the Beltway “don’t like it when you call out someone who is in power.”
