Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sued House Speaker Mike Johnson for failing to swear in Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won her special election nearly a month ago. Mayes said the delay leaves over 813,000 people in Arizona’s 7th District without representation and called it “taxation without representation.”
Johnson called the lawsuit “patently absurd” and claimed Mayes has no authority in the matter. He said the holdup is due to the government shutdown and that he will seat Grijalva when Congress resumes.
House Democrats suspect another motive. Once sworn in, Grijalva would likely provide the 218th signature needed to force a vote on releasing all Department of Justice files tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Johnson denies this is a factor.
Grijalva, daughter of the late Congressman Raúl Grijalva, says she is ready to serve. The lawsuit asks a judge to recognize her as a House member and allow another official to administer the oath if Johnson refuses.
Johnson called the lawsuit “patently absurd” and claimed Mayes has no authority in the matter. He said the holdup is due to the government shutdown and that he will seat Grijalva when Congress resumes.
House Democrats suspect another motive. Once sworn in, Grijalva would likely provide the 218th signature needed to force a vote on releasing all Department of Justice files tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Johnson denies this is a factor.
Grijalva, daughter of the late Congressman Raúl Grijalva, says she is ready to serve. The lawsuit asks a judge to recognize her as a House member and allow another official to administer the oath if Johnson refuses.
