Arizona's Fight for a Seated Congresswoman

Key Points

• Arizona's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. House of Representatives for delaying the swearing-in of Adelita Grijalva, a newly elected Democratic congresswoman.
• The delay is tied to the government shutdown, and the attorney general argues it violates Grijalva's rights.
• Speaker Mike Johnson claims he is following past practices and will swear in Grijalva once the House resumes regular session.

Details of the Lawsuit

• The lawsuit argues that the Constitution does not grant the Speaker the power to delay the swearing-in process.
• It suggests Johnson's actions may be politically motivated, including:
• Preventing a petition on Jeffrey Epstein's records.
• Gaining leverage in budget talks.
• Grijalva has never spoken to Johnson since her election and wants to meet with him to resolve the issue.

Constitutional Argument

• The attorney general argues that the delay harms both Grijalva and the people of Arizona.
• The lawsuit requests a judge to allow someone else to administer the oath if Johnson continues to refuse.
• The Constitution only requires the oath to be taken, not who administers it.

Speaker's Response

• Johnson insists he is ready to swear in Grijalva as soon as the House returns.
• He claims his actions are based on past practices, similar to what happened under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.