She is paying the price for being nice to ACB. She was allowed to save face, but the message was clear to Senate Democrats. Straying from rigid orthodoxy will not be tolerated.

The California senator Dianne Feinstein will not seek to retain her position as the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate judiciary committee.

“After serving as the lead Democrat on the Judiciary Committee for four years, I will not seek the chairmanship or ranking member position in the next Congress,” Feinstein said in a statement on Monday.

“California is a huge state confronting two existential threats – wildfire and drought – that are only getting worse with climate change. In the next Congress, I plan to increase my attention on those two crucial issues,” she added.

Dick Durbin, the senator of Illinois and the Democratic whip, said he would seek the job.