In a heated confrontation on Wednesday, Arizona’s Democratic senators challenged Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson over his reluctance to swear in Adelita Grijalva, the newly elected representative for Arizona. The tension arose after Johnson initially expressed willingness to undertake the swearing-in but then retracted his statement.
Senator Ruben Gallego accused Johnson of “covering up for the pedophiles,” a remark linked to the fact that Grijalva’s oath would enable a crucial vote on disclosing records related to Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious financier who died in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges.
Johnson dismissed the allegations as “totally absurd,” instead blaming Senate Democrats for the holdup. He stated, “I’m anxious to administer the oath to her, as soon as you guys vote to open the government.”
It has been two weeks since Grijalva won the seat once held by her late father, Raúl Grijalva, with a decisive victory. The delay in her swearing-in has become a point of contention, especially as Senators Gallego and Mark Kelly publicly pressed Johnson on the matter.
Senator Kelly remarked, “It’s not great if you want representation,” to which Johnson replied, “We’re happy she got elected. She’s filling her father’s seat. That’s fantastic.” He continued, “We’re going to do that as soon as we get back to work, but we need the lights turned back on, so we encourage both of you to go open the government.”
Grijalva was present on the House floor on September 30, a week post-election, anticipating her swearing-in. Yet, the session was abruptly ended by the Republican presiding officer, ignoring the Democrats’ calls to “Swear her in!”
“He is holding my swearing-in hostage to what happens in the Senate,” Grijalva expressed to Cronkite News, highlighting the political tussle. By law, the speaker alone can administer the oath to House members, with special election winners like Grijalva awaiting individual swearing-in.
Earlier, Johnson facilitated the swearing-in of two Florida Republicans within a day of their special election victories, during similar non-legislative sessions. Senators Gallego and Kelly questioned the disparity in treatment, to which Johnson responded, “they had all their family and friends here” and termed it “an exception.”
Johnson dismissed claims linking the delay to Epstein, describing the senators’ actions as “a publicity stunt.” The debate over Epstein’s files has been a contentious issue, with former President Donald Trump promising their release but not delivering. A petition led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie is currently one signature short of mandating a vote on the issue.
Grijalva’s induction is essential for her to commence her role, including signing the petition, occupying her office, hiring staff, and engaging with constituents. Frustrated, Grijalva conveyed her disappointment over the stalled process, particularly after Johnson’s mixed signals about a swift swearing-in.
“Everyone got excited and said, ‘Oh great, it’s going to happen,’ and then shortly thereafter, it didn’t,” she said. With her district affected by the government shutdown, she emphasized the urgency to assume her responsibilities, stating, “I just want Speaker Johnson to let me get to work.”
Senator Kelly appealed to Johnson to bring House Republicans back for negotiations to resolve the shutdown, a suggestion Johnson rebuffed, asserting, “Let me tell you why they’re not here: Because the House did its job.”
For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
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