Arizona Sues Speaker Johnson Over Delayed Swearing-In Amid Shutdown

Arizona's Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a federal lawsuit against House Speaker Mike Johnson for delaying the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special election to fill the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva's seat. Mayes argues that blocking Grijalva disenfranchises over 800,000 constituents in Arizona's 7th Congressional District and constitutes taxation without representation. Johnson defends his decision by citing House rules and the ongoing government shutdown, during which the House is not in regular session and he has threatened to keep lawmakers out of Washington to pressure Democrats. Critics, including House Democrats and Grijalva herself, accuse Johnson of playing politics and deliberately denying representation to the district, possibly to prevent Grijalva from casting a pivotal vote on a discharge petition related to the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. Although Grijalva has an official office, she lacks communication tools to serve constituents effectively. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions amid the government shutdown and questions over procedural precedents for swearing in members during such periods.