OK, we’ll bite. Why isn’t Speaker Mike Johnson swearing in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.)?
Grijalva was elected two weeks ago to succeed her father, the late Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), in a deep blue district. No one is questioning her victory as the younger Grijalva won nearly 69% of the vote.
Johnson could swear Grijalva in during a pro forma session. But he refuses to do so.
Why?
We’re going to present to you two sides to this argument — one voiced by Democrats and the other by the House Republican leadership and the White House.
Democrats. Pretty much to a person, Democrats see Johnson’s unwillingness to swear Grijalva in as a ploy to stall the discharge petition that would force a vote on the bill to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The petition has been stuck on 217 signatures since Sept. 10. Grijalva has said she’d be the 218th supporter, triggering an automatic floor vote.
Democrats also note that Johnson swore in Florida GOP Reps. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine during a pro forma session, so the speaker should have no problems extending the same courtesy to Grijalva.
Republicans. Johnson said publicly that his unwillingness to swear Grijalva isn’t related in any way to the Epstein files discharge petition. Here’s Johnson on Tuesday during a news conference in the Capitol:
“It has nothing to do with that at all. We will swear her in when everybody gets back. It’s a ceremonial duty. Look, we’ll schedule it I guess as soon as she wants. It has nothing to do with it. We’re in a pro-forma session because there is nothing for the House to do.”
However, the House Republican leadership later reversed its position and said Johnson wouldn’t swear Grijalva in “as soon as she wants.” It’s only going to occur when the government reopens. And no one is sure when that will happen at this point.
Privately, House Republican leadership sources swear the White House hasn’t pressured them to hold off on swearing in Grijalva to slow the Epstein discharge petition. But the Trump administration has been very worked up about the effort, which four House Republicans have signed onto.
Republicans told us that they won’t swear Grijalva in during a pro forma session because it sets a precedent that they don’t want to have to uphold. Patronis and Fine were sworn in during a pro forma session after the regular House session was canceled. Patronis’ and Fine’s families were already in town.
Is that a compelling argument? Not completely. Special elections are relatively rare. It’s not as if the speaker would be swearing in new members each time the House is out of session.
Regardless, it’s also convenient for House Republicans that the Epstein discharge petition won’t nudge its way into a news cycle where the GOP thinks they have the advantage.
