‘It’s Painful to Watch’: Rep. Ro Khanna Calls on Dianne Feinstein to Resign ‘For Her Own Dignity’ and ‘Legacy’
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) called on Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to resign from the Senate and allow someone else to replace her after reports claimed the nearly 90-year-old senator seemed dazed and confused.
Responding to a report which claimed Feinstein “seemed disoriented” following her return to the Senate after suffering health issues, Khanna said, “First, let me say I admire her career. She has had an extraordinary career. But it’s sad for anyone to see and it’s sad for her own colleagues to see.”
“I’m hopeful that people who are close to her can talk to her and just say, ‘Look, end your service with dignity. Step aside, let the governor appoint someone,'” he told MSNBC’s Alex Wagner on Thursday, claiming it was “painfully obvious to people” that Feinstein was not fit for office.
Asked whether he thought it was likely that Feinstein would step down, Khanna said, “I hope so. I mean, I think for her own dignity, for her own career, for her own legacy, it would be good. It would be good for California.”
The congressman went on to compare Feinstein to “an athlete who plays one or two more seasons.”
“That’s what this started out as. Now it’s just painful. It’s painful to watch,” he said. “My hope is I know there are people who are close to her… I don’t think it should be forceful; I think they should have a loving conversation about it being time.”
Khanna has been one of the most vocal Democrats to call for Feinstein’s resignation and in April he tweeted, “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.”
The New York Times reported on Thursday that Feinstein “seemed disoriented” upon her return to the Capitol and claimed her “frail appearance was a result of several complications after she was hospitalized for shingles in February, some of which she has not publicly disclosed.”
Following her return to the Senate, Feinstein appeared to be unaware of her three-month absence. Feinstein allegedly told a reporter, “No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting,” after she was asked about her hospitalization.
Feinstein’s health has reportedly been deteriorating for years and in 2021, she allegedly confused Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) for Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in an awkward encounter.
Politico suggested on Thursday that Feinstein’s refusal to resign was part of a plot involving former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who allegedly wants to take Feinstein’s seat in 2024.
“If Feinstein were to bow to pressure and retire early, Schiff’s advantage could disappear,” Politico reported, noting that California Governor Gavin Newsom had “pledged to appoint a Black woman to serve out her term” should Feinstein resign and that “one of Schiff’s declared opponents, Rep. BARBARA LEE (D-Calif.), would fit the bill.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
