Squad member Tlaib joins fellow Hill Democrats in calling for Feinstein to step down

"Squad" member Rashida Tlaib has become the most recent congressional Democrat to call upon fellow party member California Sen. Dianne Feinstein to step down.

Tlaib, a Michigan lawmaker and among the most progressive in the House Democrat Conference, on Friday criticized the 89-year-old Feinstein for missing critical votes on the Senate Judiciary Committee and on the chamber floor, as she recovers at home from a shingles diagnosis last month.

"Because Sen. Feinstein was absent, Republicans are passing legislation through the Senate," Tlaib tweeted. 

As have other congressional Democrats, Tlaib argues that Feinstein's absence from the committee has stopped the appointment of President Biden's nominations to the federal bench.

"Sen. Feinstein must step down," Tlaib concluded in her tweet.

California Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna was among the first to call for Feinstein  to retire, saying she should "step down gracefully."

Khanna and Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn, earlier this month called on Feinstein to step down, also amid ongoing questions about her mental acuity.

"Senator Feinstein is a remarkable American whose contributions to our country are immeasurable," Phillips said. "But I believe it’s now a dereliction of duty to remain in the Senate and a dereliction of duty for those who agree to remain quiet." ]

Feinstein has served for the Senate for over 30 years.