Sen. Dianne Feinstein Faces First Calls to Resign From Members of Congress

Feinstein has not voted in the Senate since Feb. 16 and said early March she had been diagnosed with shingles

File - Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) heads to the Senate Chamber for a vote in the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 14, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., faces calls to resign from fellow Democrats in Congress after a lengthy absence from the Senate due to health issues.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., became the first member of Congress to call on Feinstein to resign late Wednesday afternoon.

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"It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign," he tweeted. "We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people."

Feinstein on Wednesday released the following statement on her medical diagnosis and when she plans to return to Washington:

"When I was first diagnosed with shingles, I expected to return by the end of the March work period. Unfortunately, my return to Washington has been delayed due to continued complications related to my diagnosis.

"I intend to return as soon as possible once my medical team advises that it’s safe for me to travel. In the meantime, I remain committed to the job and will continue to work from home in San Francisco.

"I understand that my absence could delay the important work of the Judiciary Committee, so I’ve asked Leader Schumer to ask the Senate to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve until I’m able to resume my committee work."

For more on this story, go to NBC News.

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