Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) is facing possible removal from the Senate Judiciary Committee as an enlarged Republican majority is set to rule over the Senate in January.
Senate Democrat leaders are currently negotiating committee positions and Harris, due to being the least senior member of the highly-coveted panel, may lose her spot — a possibly substantial blow to the 2020 hopeful who has used the perch to generate headlines aimed at raising her national profile.
In a statement to the Washington Post, Lily Adams, a member of Harris’ communications shop, said the California Democrat has told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that she is eager to hang on to the panel position. Schumer is said to be moving to help keep Harris on board.
Some liberal groups have also signaled they would throw down the gauntlet if Harris is removed from the panel.
“Not only would it be unconscionable to remove the only African American woman from the committee, but Sen. Harris also is the most skilled questioner on the entire panel,” Demand Justice executive director Brian Fallon told the Post. “Whatever options they need to consider, removing Harris should not be one of them. The backlash would be intense.”
Harris became a member of the committee following Sen. Al Franken’s (D-MN) resignation over multiple sexual assault allegations brought forth against the progressive lawmaker.
Reports of Harris loving her position comes as Schumer and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) are set to finalize the makeup of various committees for the new year.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who profile has standing among conservatives since his vigorous defense of then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, is widely believed to be Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) successor as Judiciary Committee chairman.
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