Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to temporarily replace an ailing Senator Dianne Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee with another Democrat, leaving a cluster of President Joe Biden’s judicial picks in limbo.
(Bloomberg) — Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to temporarily replace an ailing Senator Dianne Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee with another Democrat, leaving a cluster of President Joe Biden’s judicial picks in limbo.
Schumer sought agreement of all senators to quickly swap in Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, but he was thwarted when South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham objected. Some Republicans this week balked at the idea and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell earlier Tuesday opposed the move, saying replacing Feinstein could allow the committee to approve judicial nominees that don’t have GOP backing.
“The reason this is being made is to try to change the numbers on the committee in a way that I think would be harmful to the Senate and to pass out a handful of judges that I think should never be on the bench,” Graham said.
Feinstein, who has been at home in California for nearly two months after a bout with shingles, requested that Schumer make the swap last week. Failure to replace her on the panel could intensify pressure on the 89-year-old to return to Washington or resign. Two House Democrats — Ro Khanna of California and Dean Phillips of Minnesota — last week called on her to step down, with Khanna saying “it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties.”
The action today further highlights the challenges for Schumer, who is managing a Senate in which his party has a wafer-thin 51-49 seat majority. Another Democratic Senator, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, just returned after weeks-long hospital treatment for depression.
Schumer said he spoke with Feinstein on Friday and that she expects to return to Washington “very soon.”
(Updates throughout.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.