Arizona Sues US House Over Delayed Swearing-In of Democrat Adelita Grijalva

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva have filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. House of Representatives and Speaker Mike Johnson for refusing to swear in Grijalva following her special election victory. The suit argues that Johnson's delay in administering the oath unlawfully denies Grijalva her constitutional right to serve and disenfranchises the voters of Arizona's 7th Congressional District, effectively subjecting them to taxation without representation. Mayes and Grijalva are seeking a court order to allow another authorized person to administer the oath, as the Constitution does not mandate that only the Speaker can do so. Republicans, including Johnson, maintain that the swearing-in will occur once the government reopens from the ongoing shutdown, but Democrats accuse Johnson of using the shutdown as a political tool to block Grijalva, who could be pivotal in votes such as those concerning the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. The lawsuit highlights the broader political standoff and underscores the constitutional and democratic concerns raised by the delay. This ongoing dispute has heightened tensions in Arizona politics and in the U.S. Congress amid the prolonged government shutdown.