Feinstein ‘surprised and taken aback’ by suggestion she’s not up for Supreme Court fight

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is rejecting suggestions that she is not prepared to handle an upcoming Supreme Court nomination fight.

Democratic sources told Politico in a story published Wednesday that there is concern that Feinstein, 87, is not capable of leading an aggressive push against the Supreme Court nominee President Trump picks to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

“I’m really surprised and taken aback by this. Because I try to be very careful and I’m puzzled by it,” Feinstein told Politico. “My attendance is good, I do the homework, I try to ask hard questions. I stand up for what I believe in.”

One Democratic senator told Politico under the condition of anonymity that some in the party are pushing for Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) or Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to serve as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee during the nomination hearings. 

They cited, among other things, the fact that Feinstein waited too long to disclose sexual assault allegations by Christine Blasey Ford against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“She’s not sure what she’s doing,” they said. “If you take a look at Kavanaugh, we may be short two senators because of that. And if this gets [messed] up, it may be the same result.”

The senator added that Feinstein’s performance could “impact a number of seats we can win.”

Democrats are reportedly discussing adjusting the seniority system for next year in case the party wins the Senate, making it so Feinstein does not become chair of the judiciary committee. 

Feinstein told Politico that she can only do so much to slow the nomination but can’t stop it as long as Republicans stick together.

“Let me say this — I know it’s going to be a fight, I understand that,” she said. “I don’t have a lot of tools to use, but I’m going to use what I have. We can try to delay and obstruct but they can run this process through. That doesn’t mean that we won’t fight tooth and nail.”

The California Democrat has rejected calls from some members of the caucus to expand the Supreme Court and end the filibuster if Democrats flip the Senate.