I hope her legacy for good overshadows the last few months.
What’s the schedule for her appointment? Is it instantaneous as soon as Newsom proposes a replacement, or is there some drawn-out process?
With her dementia, I can’t help but wonder if Feinstein is even aware of what just happened.
It’s the natural solution to our recent gerontocracy. Time waits for no person.
(donald, clarence, mitch - I’m looking at all y’all)
He can immediately name a replacement.
Obviously he saw this coming so he knows who it is.
I’m pretty sure she isn’t.
I’m hoping the appointment is made by day’s end, with an announcement referencing the urgency of Congress’s work at this moment.
While Newsom could make the appointment at any time (I think) I would be willing to bet he will wait until at least after her funeral so he has time to consult with his advisors on who to pick. I would hope he has already done most of the work of vetting possible appointments to a very short list by now. He knew this was coming.
I get the idea of waiting until it’s seemly to make an appointment. But I disagree that he should do so. The closeness of the Senate right now is so razor-thin that a single asshole like Sinema could throw everything into chaos. And with the impending shutdown due to the House’s insane clown posse, the last the the Senate needs to be is chaos.
I definitely disagree that he should wait until he has time to consult with his advisors. Her death was obviously on the horizon, and he’s had all the time he needs to make a decision. If he hasn’t already decided on her replacement, that’s negligence.
He can delay this a day or so, but Democrats only have a one-seat majority and we’re about to go into a government shutdown. As a result of her death, Republicans and Democrats are now tied on all committees she sat on which means they potentially can’t report out nominees or legislation. Newsom is criminally incompetent if he hasn’t already decided who he will pick. The only delay should be booking a flight from LA to DC.
edit: or what @Left_Hand_of_Dorkness said
IIRC republicans have said they will not let her replacement on those committees. The judicial committee (at least) we be tied so no new judicial appointments at least until the next congress.
If so, Democrats can and should change the rules to force it.
No – they blocked an effort by Schumer to temporarily replace her on committees. They do not have the ability to block her full replacement from taking over her committee assignments.
Really? That’s a relief.
Well, now Menendez is untouchable.
I do need to qualify this – I believe this is the case, based on well-established Senate precedents for replacement Senators. But who knows these days.
Only until a replacement arrives.
Newsome at one point said he would choose an African American woman which would pretty much be Barbara Lee. She’s a front runner for the primary coming up next year. He later said that he’d pick a caretaker and let the voters choose the replacement coming up.
Regardless, he doesn’t have to consult with anyone. He not only knew that this was a possibility a year ago, he was certainly tipped off a few days ago that it was imminent. The consultation has been done for a while.
Sadly, that was my first reaction, too. But it’s not like her seat, or his, would go empty for long or that it would go to a Republican. If the California and New Jersey governors have their ducks in a row they can have some meat in the seat by Monday.
I know several Representatives are angling for Feinstein’s seat. Do you think Newsome will put one of them in as a temporary Senator, thus further widening the Democratic minority in the House, or would he put in place merely a seat-warmer with no aspirations to run for the permanent seat?
So I just double-checked. The Senate is now:
47 Democrats
49 Republicans
Sinema
Sanders
King
Sanders and King are pretty predictable, but Sinema is not. If she decided to caucus with Republicans, things become super-hairy. And she could do that at any moment.
Moderating:
Let’s have this discussion re Feinstein’s replacement in a new thread, please. This thread was for whether she should resign from the Senate. She’s gone, now, and a new conversation should begin. Thanks.