Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
California senator, Kamala Harris could possibly lose her seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The former California state attorney general has been a senator for less than two years. Because of this, she’s a target for Senate Republicans, who are looking to downsize the amount of seats on the committee to less than 21 seats, where it currently stands. The potential Democratic candidate for presidential nomination is also currently the most junior member, and one of four female Democrats on the committee.
Certain Democrats and Liberals are speaking up for Harris to keep her seat at the table. Some possibilities include negotiating with Republicans to keep the committee at 21 members, or convincing a more senior Democrat to, essentially, take one for the team and step aside to make room for the Howard University graduate.
Losing Kamala in such a prime position is not a good look, let alone, shouldn’t be an option.
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 13: The Rev. Al Sharpton (L) welcomes Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) to the podium before she addresses a post-midterm election meeting of Sharpton’s National Action Network in the Kennedy Caucus Room at the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill November 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. Politicians believed to be considering a run for the 2020 Democratic party nomination, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), addressed the network meeting as well as House members vying for leadership positions. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who is also a part of the committee said: “She’s a real lawyer, she is the real deal, she’s a pro, and she also happens to be an African American woman. She belongs on that committee…she is an ideal member.”
Which means, she deserves to be on the committee, and her experience shouldn’t even be in question!
Harris, who went viral and became very well-known over the summer for her questioning of Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings, has also been known for backing a bill that increased federal funding for HBCUs by millions of dollars. Earlier this month, the 54-year-old was honored at Glamour‘s 2018 Women of the Year Awards where she encouraged women to speak their truth in her acceptance speech.
Brian Fallon, the executive director of Demand Justice, a liberal advocacy group, told The Washington Post that removing the high-profile senator from the committee is absolutely not a smart move:
“Not only would it be unconscionable to remove the only African American woman from the committee, but Sen. Harris also is the most skilled questioner on the entire panel. Whatever options they need to consider, removing Harris should not be one of them. The backlash would be intense.”
Point. Blank. Period.
Discussions about the future makeup of the committee will begin following Tuesday’s Senate run-off election in Mississippi.
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