Arizona sues Mike Johnson over refusal to swear in Democrat who could sway Epstein vote

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Tue 21 Oct 2025 17.49 EDT


Arizona’s attorney general is suing House speaker Mike Johnson over his refusal to swear in Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat who won a congressional special election in September. Grijalva was elected on 23 September in the southern Arizona district that her father, Raúl Grijalva, held until his death earlier this year.

Kris Mayes, the Democratic attorney general in Arizona, had promised to sue if Johnson would not let Grijalva get started on her work. She sent a letter to Johnson on 14 October demanding he schedule a swearing-in within two days, which did not happen.

“By blocking Adelita Grijalva from taking her rightful oath of office, [Johnson] is subjecting Arizona’s seventh Congressional district to taxation without representation. I will not allow Arizonans to be silenced or treated as second-class citizens in their own democracy,” Mayes said in a press release announcing the lawsuit.

Grijalva, who has held local offices in Arizona for decades, went to Washington in early October, expecting to be sworn in and start her new job. Johnson has so far not scheduled a swearing-in for her, depriving her of the ability to use her office or access parts of the Capitol designated for members of Congress without an escort. “I want to get to work and I can’t,” Grijalva said in early October.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/21/arizona-mike-johnson-adelita-grijalva

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Link to AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes PRESS RELEASE - Attorney General Mayes, Representative-elect Grijalva Sue House of Representatives

Link to SUIT (PDF) - https://azag.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cc1fad182b6d6f8b1e352e206&id=ab7fb298c0&e=b0dbe1a1e5

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. Mike Johnson won't swear in Adelita Grijalva. So we're suing.

Arizona's attorney general explains how Johnson is using the newly elected Democrat as a pawn in his shutdown fight, and keeping the Epstein files secret.

Mike Johnson won't swear in Adelita Grijalva. So we're suing. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb... GOOD! Mike Johnson is a weak little man who thinks he works for the Disease in the White House. He is paid by & works for the American People.

— Liberty & Justice (@stand4truth.bsky.social) 2025-10-21T22:11:10.455Z

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/mike-johnson-adelita-grijalva-arizona-lawsuit-mayes-rcna238266

Almost a month ago, on Sept. 23, nearly 70% of voters in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District cast their ballots for Adelita Grijalva. On Oct. 14, Arizona’s secretary of state officially certified Grijalva’s election. But despite that overwhelming mandate from the people, Rep.-elect Grijalva, the first Latina ever elected to Congress from Arizona, has not been sworn in or allowed to take her rightful place in the House of Representatives.

Why? Because Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to do his job.

For weeks, the speaker has stonewalled, delayed and twisted himself into knots trying to justify what is, at its core, a brazen act of voter disenfranchisement. First, he claimed Grijalva could be sworn in “as soon as she wants.” Then he insisted he couldn’t swear her in while the House was not in session, which is laughable given that earlier this year, he swore in two representatives elected in special elections during pro-forma sessions......

In a democracy every vote counts, every voice matters and every elected representative — Democrat, Republican or independent — must be seated in Congress. Right now, 813,000 Arizonans who live in the 7th Congressional District have no voice in the House of Representatives and that is an affront to the Constitution we hold dear. Until that error is rectified, Arizona will keep fighting.

My message for Speaker Johnson is clear: Respect the will of the voters, seat Adelita Grijalva and let her get to work for the Arizonans who elected her.

[in2herbs]

2. Wonder why a declaratory judgment instead of a writ of mandamus. nt

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Arizona AG sues to force House Speaker Johnson to seat Democrat Adelita Grijalva

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he will administer the oath of office to Grijalva, who was elected to the House in September, as soon as Democrats vote to reopen the government.

Arizona AG sues to force House Speaker Johnson to seat Democrat Adelita Grijalva

— Mybuddysully (@mybuddysully.bsky.social) 2025-10-21T21:42:23.204Z

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/arizona-ag-sues-force-speaker-johnson-seat-democrat-adelita-grijalva-rcna238699

WASHINGTON — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Tuesday filed a lawsuit to try to force House Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, the Arizona Democrat who won her late father’s seat in a special election nearly one month ago.

Johnson, R-La., has said he will seat Grijalva once Senate Democrats agree to reopen the government. But the two parties haven’t been talking for weeks, and there is no indication when the shutdown might end.

The lawsuit, which Mayes threatened in a letter to Johnson last week, argues that the speaker’s delay is depriving the 813,000 residents living in Arizona’s 7th District of congressional representation. It lists the state of Arizona and Grijalva herself as plaintiffs and the U.S. House, as well as the House clerk and sergeant at arms, as defendants.

“Speaker Mike Johnson is actively stripping the people of Arizona of one of their seats in Congress and disenfranchising the voters of Arizona’s seventh Congressional district in the process,” Mayes said in a statement. “By blocking Adelita Grijalva from taking her rightful oath of office, he is subjecting Arizona’s seventh Congressional district to taxation without representation. I will not allow Arizonans to be silenced or treated as second-class citizens in their own democracy.”.....

The lawsuit, which Mayes threatened in a letter to Johnson last week, argues that the speaker’s delay is depriving the 813,000 residents living in Arizona’s 7th District of congressional representation. It lists the state of Arizona and Grijalva herself as plaintiffs and the U.S. House, as well as the House clerk and sergeant at arms, as defendants.

“Speaker Mike Johnson is actively stripping the people of Arizona of one of their seats in Congress and disenfranchising the voters of Arizona’s seventh Congressional district in the process,” Mayes said in a statement. “By blocking Adelita Grijalva from taking her rightful oath of office, he is subjecting Arizona’s seventh Congressional district to taxation without representation. I will not allow Arizonans to be silenced or treated as second-class citizens in their own democracy.”

[ShazzieB]

4. Yay, Mayes is following through on her threat!

You were warned, Mikey, and you chose to do nothing. Sucks to be you!!!!!!!!!!

[Farmer-Rick]

5. Taxation without representation

Interesting argument. Where have I heard that before?

Every American earning less than a million a year can claim this too.

[republianmushroom]

6. Thank you Arizona.