NYT Editorial Board wants Feinstein to step down.

Should Sen. Dianne Feinstein Resign?

The New York Times editorial board has called for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to resign and turn over her responsibilities to an appointed successor. While acknowledging her distinguished career in the Senate, the editorial board argues that her absence from work since early 2023 due to hospitalization with shingles has resulted in her missing more than 90 votes and giving Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee the ability to stall some of President Joe Biden’s court nominees.

Is It Time for a Change?

The editorial board suggests that if Sen. Feinstein cannot fulfill her obligations to the Senate and her constituents, she should resign. The board also points to a report from last year in the San Francisco Chronicle that revealed her memory has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer fulfill her job duties. While some have called past calls for her resignation “sexist,” the board argues that senators have a primary and inescapable duty to show up and vote.

What’s Next?

Sen. Feinstein has not indicated when she will return to the Senate, defending her absence and claiming there has been “no slowdown” of judicial nominees while she is slowly recovering. However, the editorial board argues that Senate seats are not lifetime sinecures, and if members cannot effectively represent their constituents or work for the benefit of their country, they should turn the job over to someone who can.

Takeaways:

• Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been absent from work since early 2023 due to hospitalization with shingles.
• The New York Times editorial board has called for her resignation and for her to turn over her responsibilities to an appointed successor.
• The board argues that senators have a primary and inescapable duty to show up and vote.
• Sen. Feinstein has not indicated when she will return to the Senate.

It remains to be seen whether Sen. Feinstein will heed the call to resign or continue to defend her absence. However, the editorial board’s argument that senators have a primary and inescapable duty to show up and vote is a compelling one. It’s time for a change if members cannot effectively represent their constituents or work for the benefit of their country.