Senator Dianne Feinstein returned to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, almost 90 minutes late and after some judicial candidates had already been voted on.
The Democratic senator from California received a standing ovation from both Republicans and Democrats on the panel when she joined them after being away for nearly three months due to health concerns.
“I extend a warm welcome to our colleague, Senator Dianne Feinstein,” announced Chairman Dick Durbin.
An assistant helped Feinstein, 89, walk to her seat. She uses a wheelchair in the corridors of the Capitol. Another aide placed Feinstein’s name tag in front of her as the senator took his seat.
She seemed to say “thank you” and shook hands with Durbin. She did not respond to questions from reporters.
Senator Dianne Feinstein returned to the Senate Judiciary Committee
Feinstein arrived in time to vote for the promotion of three of President Joe Biden’s nominees. She was fired by members of her own party for her extended absence from the Senate, which hampered confirmation from some judges.
With Feinstein present and voting, the Democrats were able to advance the three nominees whose nominations had been paused: Charnelle Bjelkengren, nominated for the Eastern District of Washington, Kato Crews from the District of Colorado, and Marian Gaston for a vacancy in the Southern District for California.
And Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who sits on the judicial panel, said Democrats used her return to advance Biden’s “extreme” nominees.
“What we’re going to see this committee doing soon is voting for several nominees who are so extreme, who are so unqualified, they wouldn’t have a prayer to get even one Republican vote on this committee,” Cruz said.
Her return to the power panel came on the same day The upcoming tome from Ben Terris of the Washington Post The big break: gamblers, party animals and true believers trying to win in Washington as America loses its mind revealed that Feinstein cares “more about her dog” than black people, a former African-American staffer accused, while also confusing two black senators.
Feinstein made his first Senate appearance in nearly three months on Wednesday. She gained weight in a wheelchair and said in a statement that she has to work a lighter schedule because of side effects from shingles.
A car drove her to the entrance of the Capitol. The 89-year-old Democratic senator from California looked frail, frail and pale as aides helped her. Her left eye was closed.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer walked beside her as an aide wheeled her into the Senate.
An aide helped Senator Dianne Feinstein to her seat on the Judiciary Committee
Senator Dianne Feinstein uses a wheelchair to move around the Capitol
Chairman Dick Durbin welcomed Senator Feinstein back
Senator Dianne Feinstein arrives at the US Capitol Building on Wednesday after an absence of nearly three months
Feinstein has been absent for nearly three months, missing nearly 100 votes after suffering from shingles.
Side effects include persistent pain known as postherpetic neuralgia, painful eye infections that can lead to vision loss, facial paralysis, or problems with hearing or balance, according to the Mayo Clinic.
But she has refused calls to resign her seat — not even from her own fellow Democrats.
Several female legislators supported her, calling it sexist to ask Feinstein — a trailblazing female lawmaker — to resign when many white men have served in the Senate until their deaths.
Feinstein flew from California — where she was recovering at her home in San Francisco — on a private jet to Washington DC on Tuesday evening.
She said doctors advised her to work a lighter schedule because she continues to experience side effects.
“While I have made significant progress and was able to return to Washington, I am still experiencing some side effects from the shingles virus. My doctors have advised me to work a lighter schedule when I return to the Senate,” she said in a statement.
Last month, after calls from her own party to resign, Feinstein requested a temporary replacement on the Judiciary Committee.
Republicans in the sharply divided Senate rejected the request, saying Democrats just wanted a stand-in to push through Biden’s most partisan judicial nominations.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer greeted Senator Dianne Feinstein upon her return
“Hello everyone,” Feinstein said as she entered the building
Meanwhile, Feinstein has said she will not run for re-election in 2024.
The race to replace her is already competitive with several Democrats running to fill a Senate seat that hasn’t been vacant in 30 years, including Representatives Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff and Katie Porter.
There are concerns that if Feinstein were to step down, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom — who must nominate someone to serve her term — could disrupt the race to replace her by nominating someone who is already running for the seat.
He has said he would hire a black woman for the job. Rep. Lee is black.
And Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who led the latest round of calls for Feinstein’s resignation, has endorsed Lee in the primary to replace Feinstein.
California has a jungle primary, meaning the top two winners, regardless of party, advance to the general election. That means the heavily Democratic state could see two Democrats running in the November 2024 election.