Senate Republican leadership and rank-and-file Republicans have rejected temporarily replacing Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on the Judiciary Committee.
Feinstein has faced calls to resign as she has continued her indefinite absence, which led the California Democrat to ask Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to temporarily fill her seat on the influential Judiciary Committee. Without Feinstein, Democrats cannot advance their judicial nominees out of the committee.
At least ten Senate Republicans would have to agree on the Senate floor to replace Feinstein with another Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.
However, Senate Republicans have roundly rejected Schumer’s move.
“I will not go along with Chuck Schumer’s plan to replace Senator Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee and pack the court with activist judges. Joe Biden wants the Senate to rubber stamp his unqualified and controversial judges to radically transform America,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), a Senate Judiciary Committee Republican, wrote.
She added, “Senate Democrats are also attempting to upend precedent and Senate custom by abolishing home-state Senators’ right to object to Biden’s activist liberal judges. We must stand up and protect the Senate’s constitutional role to provide advice and consent on judicial nominees.”
“These are, by definition, the most controversial nominees,” Cornyn, a senior member of the committee and close to Senate GOP leadership, said. “And if Democrats are depending strictly on their own party-line vote to get them out of committee — I don’t think there’s any appetite on our side to help what we consider to be controversial or unqualified nominees to get confirmed.”
“I will vote against any attempt by Senate Democrats to temporarily replace Sen. Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee. I deeply respect Senator Feinstein, but this is an unprecedented request solely intended to appease those pushing for radical, activist judges,” Tillis, a Judiciary member, wrote.
“She’s been an extraordinary senator, she’s a friend of mine. During the past two years, there has been a concerted campaign to force her off of the Judiciary Committee. And I think that’s wrong, and I won’t be a part of that,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), said.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Saturday urged Republicans to not help Democrats replace Feinstein on the committee.
Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) also oppose the move.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.