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California Sen. Feinstein to Step Down as Top Democrat on Judiciary Committee

The longtime legislator received criticism from progressives and rank-and-file Democrats for her handling of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nominations.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) will not seek another term as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, she announced Monday. Feinstein, who is the Senate’s oldest member at 87, will also not look to chair another committee, the statement read. “California is a huge state confronting two existential threats—wildfire and drought—that are only getting worse with climate change. In the next Congress, I plan to increase my attention on those two crucial issues,” Feinstein wrote. The longtime legislator received criticism from both progressives and rank-and-file Democrats for her handling of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nominations. During the Kavanaugh hearing, Feinstein was criticized for withholding a letter from Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford accusing the judge of sexual assault. During Barrett’s confirmation, Feinstein infamously hugged Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and said the proceedings had gone well. She is up for re-election in 2024.