Overview
- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to compel Speaker Mike Johnson to administer the oath to Adelita Grijalva, with the case still pending.
- Johnson says he will swear her in when the House returns to regular legislative session after the shutdown, declining requests to do it during pro forma meetings despite prior quick swearing-ins for Republicans.
- The 36-day delay is the longest for a special-election winner in recent decades, leaving the district without staffed offices or budgets as SNAP payments face suspension for hundreds of thousands of Arizonans.
- Republican voices have joined the criticism, with Rep. Kevin Kiley urging immediate action and former Rep. Mo Brooks publishing an op-ed faulting Johnson for the holdup.
- Democrats allege the delay is meant to block a potential 218th signature tied to releasing DOJ Epstein records, a motive Johnson denies.