Dianne Feinstein Resign Calls Spark John Fetterman Comparisons

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein is facing calls to stand down from within her own party after missing 60 votes thus far in 2023 due to poor health. The case has been compared online with that of fellow Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who is expected to return to Congress next week following six weeks of hospital treatment for depression.

House Democrats Ro Khanna and Dean Phillips have both urged Feinstein, 89, to step aside, with Phillips calling it a "dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate."

While Feinstein represents solidly Democratic California, resigning could create a precedent for Fetterman, who was narrowly elected in November 2022 by the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Losing either seat would make the Democrats reliant on the vice president's tie-breaking veto for their Senate majority, as 51 senators currently caucus with the Democrats versus 49 for the GOP.

Feinstein's office confirmed on Wednesday that she had asked the Senate to temporarily replace her on the judiciary committee, where her absence has stripped the Democrats of their 11-10 advantage, making it harder for President Biden to get federal judges confirmed.

Newsweek reached out to Senator Feinstein's team via telephone for comment.

On Wednesday, Representative Khanna tweeted: "It's time for Senator 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."

Phillips concurred, adding: "I agree with Ro Khanna. 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."

Several conservative commentators challenged Khanna over whether the same logic should have been applied in Senator Fetterman's case. Richard Grenell, a Republican who Donald Trump appointed as U.S. ambassador to Germany, responded to Khanna by asking: "Did you feel this way about Fetterman?"

Dana Loesch, a conservative commentator and former National Rifle Association spokesperson, tweeted at Khanna: "But not John Fetterman, right?"

Last month, Senator Feinstein revealed she was being treated for shingles at a hospital. In a statement, her office said "continued complications" meant she was unable to return to Congress at the end of March, as expected, so she is now working from home in San Francisco.

Senator Fetterman was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on March 31, following six weeks of treatment for depression. He has said he is "very excited" about returning to Congress next week, where he is due to chair his first Senate subcommittee.

Speaking to Newsweek Thomas Gift, an assistant professor who heads the Center on U.S. Politics at University College London, argued there are major differences between the two cases.

"The situations of Feinstein and Fetterman are conceptually different," Gift said. "Feinstein's term is ending next year, and she's already announced her intention not to run again, whereas Fetterman's term is just beginning, and—given his age—he could conceivably stay in the Senate for many more years.

"Although her fellow Democrats wouldn't say it this way, that makes Feinstein politically dispensable in a way that Fetterman isn't," he said. "It's also worth noting that Feinstein serves on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, and her absence is clearly frustrating her Democratic peers from pushing through federal judge appointments.

"Fetterman lacks such a powerful position, so even an extended absence from the legislature has less of an impact on his party."