How this 89-year-old senator unleashed an open power struggle in the American Democrats

The American Democrats are in an open power struggle for an important seat in the Senate. The senior senator in the US Congressional Chamber, 89-year-old Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, announced Wednesday evening (local time) that she is temporarily relinquishing her seat on the influential Judiciary Committee for health reasons. Several party members from the House of Representatives had previously publicly called for Feinstein’s withdrawal from the Senate.

In recent years, the Democrat repeatedly made headlines with minor missteps that raised questions about her mental state. Behind the scenes, fellow party members urged Feinstein to resign — especially since Democrats have a razor-thin majority in the Congressional chamber, depend on every vote and can hardly afford extended absences. Feinstein was absent on 60 of the 82 votes this year.

Among the party members calling for his resignation is California’s Ro Khanna. He tweeted: “It’s time for Feinstein to step down. We must put the country before personal loyalty. Although she has been in government service all her life, it is clear that she can no longer fulfill her duties. If we do not speak up, this undermines our credibility as elected officials.”

Another Democrat, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, agreed with Khanna on Twitter. “But I believe it is now dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain silent.”

In an interview, leading Democrat Nancy Pelosi referred to the senator’s merits and her achievements over the decades. “She deserves our respect,” she told American broadcaster KTVU.

Feinstein had been out for the past few weeks due to shingles and was temporarily hospitalized. She announced shortly afterwards that her return to the Senate had been postponed due to complications. That is why she temporarily gives up her committee seat. But she tries to get back to Washington as soon as possible.

In February, Feinstein announced that he would not be running for re-election in the 2024 congressional elections. The state of California is especially important in the United States, both politically and economically. Several party colleagues have already expressed ambitions for Feinstein’s Senate seat, including prominent Democratic House Representative Adam Schiff. (t-online/sda/dpa)