Feinstein Booted for Excessive Civility

Under pressure, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal.) announced today that she will not seek to retain her position as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. That position will be either committee chair or “ranking minority member,” depending on how the Georgia runoffs come out.

Kristina Peterson reports for the WSJ that Sen. Feinstein’s action follows “criticism from the party’s progressive wing over her handling of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Amy Coney Barrett.”

We have had our differences with Senator Feinstein from time-to-time, but overall she has been one of the more reasonable members of her party. Her being dumped like this is every bit as ugly as President Trump’s numerous ham-handed firings.

From the WSJ story:

Mrs. Feinstein had drawn increasing scrutiny from liberal groups, who hoped to see a more progressive lawmaker lead the committee if Democrats take back the Senate. They also balked at her conciliatory conduct during Justice Barrett’s confirmation hearing.

At the conclusion of four days of hearings, Mrs. Feinstein hugged Republican Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. She told Mr. Graham that it was “the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in.”

At the time, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said: “I’ve had a long and serious talk with Sen. Feinstein. That’s all I’m going to say about it right now,” he said.

In comments Monday night on Fox News, Mr. Graham said that Democrats treated the hug as “an unpardonable sin. So they literally ran Dianne Feinstein, who’s a great person, out of her job because she said something nice about me.”

President-elect Biden said that he wanted to bring the country together after a period of sharp division. His friends and former colleagues in the Senate are not off to a great start.

And why exactly is that all you have to say, Senator Schumer? Don’t you have some explaining to do? I think so.