Mitch McConnell to Decide Fate of Senator Feinstein’s Removal from Senate Judiciary Committee

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is set to return to the Senate on Monday, facing a contentious question: How to handle the Democratic request to remove Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Feinstein, who is 89 years old, requested to be removed from the committee after being absent for the past two months. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) defended Feinstein’s ability to serve in the Senate on Sunday, saying on CNN’s “State of the Union” that “we have had so many senators who have had illnesses, whether it’s Mitch McConnell’s illnesses or senators who have had strokes.”

Gillibrand also said that “we believe that a senator should be able to make their own judgments about when they’re retiring and when they’re not.” GOP sources said Sunday that it was unlikely McConnell would agree to the request, but that the issue still needed to be discussed.

McConnell’s decision could have major implications on President Joe Biden’s efforts to fill the judiciary and shake up the California Senate race. If McConnell decides to deny Democrats the 60 votes needed to remove Feinstein from the committee, it could potentially derail Biden’s plans and create a difficult situation for Democrats in the 2022 Senate race.

The Senate Majority Leader’s decision is expected to be made soon, and will have far-reaching implications for the future of the Senate and the Biden administration.