Newly elected Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who won her late dad, Raul Grijalva's seat last week for Arizona's Congressional District 7, issued a statement Tuesday, accusing Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of delaying her swearing in.
“I came to the Capitol today, ready to be sworn in and get to work for the people of Southern Arizona,” Grijalva said in the statement. “Instead, Speaker Johnson chose to delay, denying our community the representation we deserve.”
Grijalva added, “Earlier this year, two Republicans in Florida were sworn in during pro forma sessions less than 24 hours after their elections. The fact that Southern Arizona is being treated differently raises serious questions about political motivations – especially since I have pledged to become the 218th signature on the discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein files."
Republican leaders say Grijalva is scheduled to be sworn in on Oct. 7, when the House returns to regular session, according to The Hill.
In response to the delay, several Arizona mayors, including Tucson mayor Regina Romero, Bisbee Mayor Ken Budge, Douglas Mayor Jose Grijalva, Nogales Mayor Jorge Maldonado, and South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela sent a letter to Mike Johnson Tuesday requesting that Grijalva be sworn in without delay.
"The voters of Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District have spoken clearly, electing Adelita Grijalva as their next Representative in the United States Congress," the letter said. "She leads her closest opponent by 39.5 percentage points – or more than 40,000 votes – leaving no question about the outcome of this election. The Arizona Secretary of State has already transmitted the necessary paperwork to proceed with her swearing-in.
The letter continued, "Every day that Congresswoman-elect Grijalva’s swearing-in is postponed is a day that 800,000 Arizonans are denied their full voice in the People’s House."
