House Speaker Mike Johnson is set to swear in Democratic representative-elect Adelita Grijalva on Wednesday afternoon, bringing to a close a contentious seven-week standoff that had prevented the incoming Arizona legislator from taking her congressional seat.
The End of a Political Standoff
The ceremony, scheduled for approximately 4pm EST on the House floor, will occur just before a crucial vote to reopen the federal government. This development comes 49 days after Grijalva secured victory in a late September special election to succeed her father, longtime congressman Raúl Grijalva, who passed away in March.
Johnson's office confirmed the swearing-in plans after weeks of mounting pressure from Democrats and legal challenges. The Republican speaker had maintained that he could not administer the oath while the chamber remained inactive, though critics noted this justification contradicted House precedent.
Epstein Files Vote Now Inevitable
Grijalva's arrival in Congress carries significance beyond merely narrowing the already razor-thin Republican majority. The Arizona Democrat has committed to becoming the 218th and final signature on a discharge petition that would automatically trigger a House floor vote on legislation demanding the Justice Department release additional files concerning deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The petition, introduced by Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie and California congressman Ro Khanna in early September, requires just one more signature to force a vote under House rules. Support has emerged overwhelmingly from Democrats, though Republican representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace have also added their names.
Meanwhile, House oversight Democrats released "never-before-seen" Epstein emails on Wednesday morning that mention Donald Trump. Among them was a 2011 message to Ghislaine Maxwell in which Epstein wrote that Trump "spent hours at my house" with a sex trafficking victim, characterising Trump as a "dog that hasn't barked".
Political Fallout and Accusations
Democrats had accused Johnson of deliberately blocking Grijalva's swearing-in specifically to prevent the Epstein vote from proceeding. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona went so far as to claim that Johnson was "covering up for pedophiles".
Johnson defended his actions by citing precedent set by former speaker Nancy Pelosi, who he said had delayed similar ceremonies for Republicans. He insists his decision had nothing to do with avoiding what promises to be an explosive vote on Epstein-related documents.
However, this explanation ignores an intense pressure campaign from Trump allies attempting to spare the president from attention due to his longstanding social connections with Epstein.
Democratic pushback against Johnson's justification was widespread. In a 180-signature letter, Democrats noted that Johnson had sworn in two Florida Republicans earlier this year while the House was out of session. Arizona's Democratic attorney general, Kris Mayes, escalated the conflict by filing a lawsuit last month seeking to force Johnson to seat Grijalva.
Speaking to CNN on Tuesday, Grijalva said she plans to directly confront Johnson about the delay, characterising the avoidance as "undemocratic", "unconstitutional" and "illegal".
"This kind of obstruction cannot happen again," she declared.
If the Epstein files legislation clears the House, it would still require Senate approval to become law. Nevertheless, the vote itself would force lawmakers into an uncomfortable position between constituents demanding transparency about Epstein's powerful associates and a Trump administration that has actively discouraged deeper investigation.
Epstein, a financier with connections to numerous high-profile figures including Trump, died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
While previous document releases have detailed some of his associations, lawmakers maintain that substantial information remains sealed within justice department files, leaving unanswered questions about Epstein's network that the discharge petition could force the House to address.
