Five members of Pennsylvania’s seven-member Democratic delegation to Congress signed the letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) Urging him to swear in Arizona’s newly elected representative Adelita Grijalva.
Grijalva won the special election for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, defeating a Republican Daniel Butierez by almost 40 points. He will replace his deceased father, Tail. Heating Raulin Congress.
Despite winning the election two weeks ago, Johnson has yet to swear in Grijalva, and the act is causing consternation among Democrats in the House.
Five Pennsylvania Democrats – Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Summer Lee (PA-12) i Chris DeLuzio (PA-17)- they added their signatures to the letter This called for Johnson to swear in Grijalva during the next Pro Forma session.
A Pro Forma session is a brief meeting of the House or Senate, often lasting only a few minutes, during which no business is usually conducted.
Earlier this spring, Johnson swore in Florida’s two Republican representatives-elect just 24 hours after their overwhelming election results, and Rep. James Walkinshaw (R-Va.) He was also sworn in within one day of winning the special election.
The Constitution calls for a special election result to be certified by the appropriate election official, who would then transmit the certificate of election to the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to the letter, the state of Arizona has already met this requirement, but Johnson has not scheduled a Grijalva curse ceremony.
Democrats say Johnson’s reluctance to swear in Grijalva is related to the write-off petition Rep. Thomas Massie (R-ky.) This would force a House vote on legislation requiring the Trump administration to publish all government records Jeffrey Epsteina child sex offender who is said to be linked to a number of high-profile politicians. Grijalva’s pledge would give supporters of the petition their 218th signature, which would place it on the floor of the house.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), the senior Democrat on the House Rules Committee, took to the chamber floor Monday afternoon during a routine pro forma session, trying to extract a Republican commitment to measure Grijalva.
“Bulls-on,” McGovern (D-Mass.) told reporters at the Capitol. “This is outrageous,” McGovern said. “I mean, the White House is undermining our democracy, and now you put in a House speaker who is doing the same thing.”
“This is about continuing Epstein’s cover-up.”
Johnson added fuel to this fire by canceling all home votes since Grijalva won the election, both before and after the government shut down on October 1. Once Epstein’s petition is signed, he will begin the process that will bring the underlying bill to the floor within nine legislative days.
Johnson said the House will return to session once the Senate approves the Stopgap government funding bill to reopen the government.
Meanwhile, Grijalva says the delay in her swearing appears to be related to Epstein’s vote.
“I am a woman of color, Chicana, from Tucson. But I don’t think any of those factors are reasons why I wouldn’t be sworn in, other than pointing out the Epstein files and this administration’s complete lack of transparency in releasing those files, she, she he told CNN on Monday. “Second Speaker Johnson has shut down votes in the recent past to avoid a vote on the Epstein files. There appears to be a connection.”
