Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not seek the chairmanship or the ranking member position on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the new legislative session that begins next year.
The 87-year-old lawmaker from California, who has served as the top Democrat on the committee for four years, announced her decision on Monday following criticism from liberals earlier this year.
“I look forward to continuing to serve as a senior Democrat on the Judiciary, Intelligence, Appropriations and Rules committees as we work with the Biden administration on priorities like gun safety, immigration reform and addressing inequities in criminal justice,” she said. “I will continue to do my utmost to bring about positive change in the coming years.”
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois released a statement saying he will seek the top spot for Democrats on the committee.
“I have served on the Committee for 22 years, and I am its most senior member who does not currently serve atop another Senate Committee,” he said. “We have to roll up our sleeves and get to work on undoing the damage of the last four years and protecting fundamental civil and human rights.”
Feinstein came under scrutiny this fall after she commended Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham on his handling of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
Democrats were furious with Republicans for pushing through the president’s nomination despite it being an election year. Some on the Left suggested that if Republicans confirmed Barrett and Democrats took control of the Senate in November that they should expand the size of the Supreme Court, in a process popularly known as “court-packing.”
At the end of the hearing process, Feinstein said to Graham, “This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in.” She added, “It leaves one with a lot of hopes, a lot of questions, and even some ideas perhaps of good bipartisan legislation we can put together.” The two even shared an embrace.
When asked weeks ago if he was looking to make changes to the committee, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “I’ve had a long and serious talk with Sen. Feinstein,” adding, “that’s all I’m going to say about it right now.”
The balance of power in the Senate next term is still up for grabs. The question of whether the Democrats or the Republicans will control the upper chamber will be decided with two runoffs in Georgia that are set to take place in early January.
