California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is taking over as the Democratic Party’s top ranking member on the Judiciary Committee as it prepares for a Supreme Court battle over the vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death.
In a Wednesday statement about her forthcoming ascension to the post, Feinstein expressed displeasure that the committee did not consider President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. She also vowed to strictly scrutinize President-elect Trump’s actions and nominees going forward.
“After the unprecedented and disrespectful treatment of Merrick Garland — a moderate judge who should have been quickly confirmed — the committee will pay very close attention to proposed nominees to ensure the fundamental constitutional rights of Americans are protected,” Feinstein said in a statement. “When President-elect Trump is willing to support responsible policies and nominees, I’ll hear him out, but this committee has a vital role to protect the Constitution and scrutinize policies, senior officials and judges very carefully, and that’s what we intend to do. We simply won’t stand aside and watch the tremendous successes achieved over the past eight years be swept away or allow our nation’s most vulnerable populations to be targeted.”
The California Democrat will succeed Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, something she called an “honor and a privilege” in her statement.
Feinstein will become the first female and first Californian ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
