Overview
- Arizona certified Adelita Grijalva’s Sept. 23 special-election win, yet she remains unsworn and roughly 813,000 residents of the 7th District lack a voting member of the House.
- Hakeem Jeffries warned of swift legal action if she was not sworn in during Friday’s pro forma session, which Republicans quickly adjourned without recognizing Democrats’ requests.
- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said her office is drafting a lawsuit to compel seating Grijalva, with filing expected early next week if the impasse continues.
- Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed the legal threats as a publicity stunt and reiterated he will administer the oath only when the House returns to legislative session as the shutdown continues.
- Grijalva showed her office lacks functional email, phones and system access pending her oath, while critics cite recent pro forma swear-ins as precedent; Johnson denies Epstein-related motives and points to an Oversight Committee probe reviewing estate files.