Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is not backing down from his call for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to resign.
During an appearance on Fox News on Thursday, Khanna said, “I have a lot of respect for Sen. Feinstein. She’s unable to fulfill her duties. And I don’t know any other job where, if you’re unable to fulfill your duties, you can continue to have the position.”
“So I think she should do the dignified thing. I respect her years of public service. And she should know when it’s time to step aside,” he added.
Watch the video below:
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) on his call for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to resign amid concerns about her health and mental acuity:
— The Recount (@therecount) April 13, 2023
“I don’t know any other job where, if you’re unable to fulfill your duties, you can continue … She should know when it’s time to step aside.” pic.twitter.com/YrC8Utfb5G
His call for the California senator to resign comes after Jon Lovett, a former speechwriter for former President Obama, said during an episode of the Pod Save America podcast, “There’s been a lot of reporting about Dianne Feinstein no longer being fit to serve in the Senate representing the biggest state in this country. She is currently out for shingles. That is sad. That is obviously not her fault.”
“But because she is not in the Judiciary Committee, (Sen. Richard) Durbin (D-Ill.) has said that it has made it basically impossible to move a lot of these lower court nominees to the Senate for a vote, which means that Dianne Feinstein, who should not be in the Senate, is now preventing us from being able to confirm judges,” he continued.
He added, “Feinstein should no longer be in the Senate. She has to resign and more people should be calling on her to resign.”
On Wednesday, Khanna tweeted, “It’s time for [Feinstein] to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”
It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign. We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) April 12, 2023
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) also called for her to step aside, tweeting, “Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe it’s now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet.”
I agree with @RoKhanna. Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable. But I believe it’s now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet. https://t.co/lvaHhLJYsi
— Rep. Dean Phillips 🇺🇸 (@RepDeanPhillips) April 12, 2023
Feinstein later issued a statement reacting to calls for her to step down, saying, “When I was first diagnosed with shingles, I expected to return by the end of the March work period. Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis.”
She explained, “I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it’s safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco.”
She also shared she asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to temporarily replace her on the judiciary committee.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) poured cold water on the push for Feinstein to step down.
“It’s interesting to me. I don’t know what political agendas are at work that are going after Sen. Feinstein in that way,” Pelosi told reporters.