Senator Feinstein fends off criticism of her absence

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File photo: Senator Dianne Feinstein announced in early March that she had contracted shingles and was hospitalized. Since then, she has been recovering at her home in California. Feinstein has not voted in the Senate since Feb. 16.

By Morgan Rimmer and Jessica Dean | CNN

Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday pushed back against claims that her prolonged absence from the Senate and Judiciary Committee, while she recovers from shingles, has caused a significant delay in the advancement and confirmation of judicial nominees. Feinstein said in the statement that she still plans to return but did not say when that would happen.

The Senate continues to quickly confirm highly qualified individuals to the federal bench, including seven more judicial nominees who were confirmed this week. There has been no slowdown, the California Democrat said in a statement.

But she acknowledged that some candidates were barred from advancing during her absence. Without Feinstein, the committee is tied. Under the power-sharing deal from the last Congress, which had a 50-50 Senate, there was a provision that allowed a tied candidate to be removed from the committee and put on the floor. That rule is no longer in place, according to a committee aide. Thus, unless a judge has bipartisan support, the candidate fails in committee and does not speak.

I’m disappointed that the Republicans on the committee are holding some of them back. I am confident that when I return to the Senate, we will be able to quickly move the remaining qualified nominees off the committee and into the Senate for a vote, she said.

While Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin has not called for Feinstein’s resignation, he previously admitted to CNN that the absence of the 89-year-old senators has slowed their effort to confirm nominees.

I cannot consider the nominees under these circumstances because a tie vote is a losing vote in committee, Durbin said.

Asked if his absence had longer ramifications for Democrats’ ability to confirm nominees, the Senate president replied: Yes, of course, pointing to the lengthy process of selecting nominees for votes for a while. precious.

In April, Feinstein asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to temporarily replace her on the Judiciary Committee, and he proposed that Maryland Senator Ben Cardin take her place. However, Senate Republicans have made it clear that they will block any attempt to appoint someone else to the committee.

Senior GOP member of the committees, Senator Lindsey Graham, said at the time: She is a very dear friend and we hope she recovers quickly and returns to the Senate. With all due respect, my colleague Senator Schumer, this is a handful of judges for whom you cannot get the votes.

Feinstein announced in early March that she had contracted shingles and was hospitalized. Since then, she has been recovering at her home in California. Feinstein has not voted in the Senate since Feb. 16.

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