Arizona attorney general sues House over Johnson’s delay in swearing in Adelita Grijalva

Washington — Arizona’s attorney general is taking legal action against the House of Representatives over Speaker Mike Johnson’s delay in swearing in Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who would be the decisive signature on a petition to force a vote on releasing files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Arizona’s Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., against the House of Representatives to demand Grijalva is sworn in after she won a special election last month.

Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., speaks as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., listens during his news conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Grijalva was elected on Sept. 23 to fill the seat of her late father, Raul Grijalva, but the House has not been in session since Sept. 19, when it passed Republicans’ short-term measure to fund the government for seven weeks. Johnson has repeatedly extended what was supposed to be a weeklong break after the vote and the House has yet to return amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Democrats have demanded that she be sworn in during the brief pro forma sessions that have occurred since she won the special election. They have noted that two Florida Republicans were sworn in during a pro forma session on April 2, a day after they won their special elections.

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