Dianne Feinstein Wants NFL Players Accused of Domestic Violence To Be Benched

WASHINGTON -- Senator and San Francisco 49ers fan Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said Sunday that defensive end Ray McDonald should be on the bench while awaiting trial for domestic abuse charges.

"I believe very strongly that if a player is arrested, they should be suspended, and if they are convicted, that ends it," Feinstein said during an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," both The Hill and Politico reported Sunday. "This has gone on too long, and this is getting too bad."

McDonald was arrested last month on felony domestic violence charges following an alleged incident involving his pregnant fiancee. The 49ers have been criticized for keeping McDonald on the field while he awaits trial. This case comes amid widespread criticism of the NFL for mishandling situations where players have been accused of abuse.

Feinstein said female senators are "surprised, amazed and very resolute to do something" to force the NFL to act more assertively on domestic violence allegations. "These teams need to set an example for the rest of society," Feinstein said. "There has to be a strength in the league to project the values of what's right and what's wrong."

On NBC's "Meet the Press," host Chuck Todd asked Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) whether Congress should vote to take away the NFL's tax exempt status in response to the mishandling of abuse allegations and other concerns, as some other senators have suggested. Johnson said senators "have far higher priorities" than addressing that issue.