Feinstein Rebuffs Calls for Her To Retire, Denies Claims Her Absence Due to Shingles Has Stalled Confirmation of Liberal Judges

After weeks of criticism from her fellow Democrats over her long absence while she recovers from shingles, Senator Feinstein, 89, is responding by insisting that her absence has not stood in the way of judicial appointments.Ms. Feinstein on Thursday issued a rebuke of criticism alleging that her absence has hobbled President Biden and Democrats’ ability to confirm an assembly line of liberal judges.“The Senate continues to swiftly confirm highly qualified individuals to the federal judiciary, including seven more judicial nominees who were confirmed this week,” Ms. Feinstein said in a statement. “There has been no slowdown.”Mr. Feinstein has faced criticism from within her own party over the past month due to her prolonged absence from the Senate and ensuing complications in the Senate Judiciary Committee.Earlier this week, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Ms. Feinstein was “causing great harm” to the American judicial system.Ms. Feinstein is now arguing that it is Republicans who are preventing more judicial nominations from going forward. “While the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced eight strong nominees during my absence, I’m disappointed that Republicans on the committee are blocking a few from moving forward,” Ms. Feinstein, who has missed 60 of 82 votes this year, said.Due to Ms. Feinstein’s absence, the Judiciary Committee is unable to advance nominations to the full Senate to get them confirmed and on the bench. According to Judiciary Committee chairman, Senator Durbin, Ms. Feinstein’s absence has slowed the nomination process.“I can’t consider nominees in these circumstances because a tie vote is a losing vote in committee,” Mr. Durbin told CNN.For this reason, Majority Leader Schumer moved to temporarily replace Ms. Feinstein, the oldest sitting senator, on the committee until she recovers from her bout with shingles. Republicans, though, are blocking a temporary replacement.“She’s a dear friend and we hope for her speedy recovery and return back to the Senate. With all due respect, my colleague, Senator Schumer, this is about a handful of judges that you can’t get the votes for,” the Judiciary Committee ranking member, Senator Graham, said.According to Ms. Feinstein, the issue is with the Senate’s pace in confirming nominees, not with the committee. Currently there are 19 district judge nominees awaiting confirmation in the Senate and just four waiting to advance from the committee.Ms. Feinstein’s office says that, even if the Senate did nothing except appoint judicial nominees, it would take at least three weeks to confirm all the nominees waiting on a floor vote.“I’m confident that when I return to the Senate, we will be able to move the remaining qualified nominees out of committee quickly and to the Senate floor for a vote,” Ms. Feinstein said.

Feinstein Rebuffs Calls for Her To Retire, Denies Claims Her Absence Due to Shingles Has Stalled Confirmation of Liberal Judges

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