Rep. Adelita Grijalva is finally sworn in as the House’s newest Democrat, paving way for Epstein files vote
By Annie Grayer, CNN
(CNN) — After 50 days of waiting, Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn into Congress Wednesday, bringing an end to a contentious chapter in the US House of Representatives that included a lawsuit and rising tensions inside the Capitol over her seating.
Speaker Mike Johnson had said he would not swear in the Arizona Democrat amid the government shutdown until the House returned to legislative session, a delay that prompted outrage from Democrats. The swearing in took place after the chamber reconvened to vote on a Senate-passed bill to reopen the government.
Shaking her hand on Wednesday, Johnson described the disagreement over the delay in swearing Grijalva in as “some intense fellowship.”
While she waited to be sworn in, Grijalva had been unable to perform basic constituent services or even open an office in her southern Arizona district. Previously describing herself as a “tourist with an office,” she told CNN that up until Wednesday she hasn’t had a working office phone, an office budget or the ability to use government systems. Residents of the sprawling district had been without a vote in Congress.
Grijalva was sworn in on the House floor to a standing ovation from her Democratic colleagues.
“It has been 50 days since the people of Arizona’s 7th Congressional District elected me to represent them,” Grijalva said on Wednesday. “This is an abuse of power. One individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct the swearing in of a duly elected member of Congress for a political reason.”
Immediately after being sworn in, Grijalva become the decisive 218th member in support of an effort to force the House to vote on the release of all of the Jeffrey Epstein case files, an issue that has roiled the House and sparked division among Republicans. Hours before her signature advanced the effort forward, top Trump administration officials met with at least one Republican who had also signed onto the petition.
Epstein survivors were in the gallery to watch Grijalva be sworn in.
“It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration and fight for we the American people,” Grijalva said. “That is why I will discharge petition right now to release the Epstein files. Justice cannot wait another day.”
Democrats have argued that Johnson delayed swearing Grijalva in because she would be the deciding signature that would trigger the floor vote and pointed to other instances where Johnson moved quickly to swear in Republicans who won their special elections.
“The only thing that’s different about me and the three other people that this speaker swore in in under 24 hours from the date of their elections is I’m the 218th signer,” Grijalva told CNN last month.
Johnson has defended his decision to delay Grijalva’s swearing by arguing that she won her race on September 23 when the House was already out of session and had vowed to swear her in as soon as the House returned.
“I really like this lady. She is going to be an excellent member of Congress. She is a great person,” Johnson told Grijalva on Wednesday.
“She may not agree with me, but we followed the custom of the House on the timetable,” the speaker added. “I promised that we would have the oath administered before we began legislative business so she hasn’t missed a vote and we’re delighted you’re here.”
The House has been out of session since September 19, as Johnson put pressure on Senate Democrats to compromise with Republicans and vote to end the government shutdown.
As the shutdown dragged on, the pressure on Johnson to swear in Grijalva mounted. Arizona’s Democratic senators got into a hallway confrontation with Johnson over the issue and other Democrats staged protests outside of the speaker’s office. Arizona’s attorney general even sued the House of Representatives over the delay, a move that Johnson dismissed as “patently absurd” and a bid for publicity.
Grijalva filled the seat vacated by her father, the late Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva, who represented the district in Congress for more than two decades before he died after a battle with cancer in March. Running on the strength of her family name, she sailed to victory in the Democratic primary this summer and then defeated Republican Daniel Butierez in the special election, capturing roughly 70% of the vote.
Johnson complimented Grijalva’s late father and reflected on his time working with him.
“I just told her on the way in that she fills her father’s shoes, or she is going to try, no one can. He was giant around here, served a long time, served his state very well. I served under him on the Natural Resources Committee for awhile, admired the way he did the work, he was tenacious. So, she has a proud family legacy, and we’re delighted to have her here,” Johnson said Wednesday.
When asked on Wednesday, why it took so long for her to be sworn in, Grijalva said, motioning toward Johnson, “that would not be my question.”
Grijalva has been frustrated by the delay in her swearing in and has said the hardest part about delaying her swearing in was being unable to help her constituents during the longest government shutdown in history.
“I’ve really missed the opportunity to be able to help constituents that are here that need services. So it’s been very difficult to sit it out while people come up to me and ask me for help,” she said.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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