The halls of Congress are rarely quiet, but this week, the tension was palpable as a procedural standoff over the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) collided with a high-profile, bipartisan push to force the release of files related to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The episode, unfolding against the backdrop of looming government funding battles and heated social media exchanges, has brought questions of transparency, political gamesmanship, and the limits of House tradition to the fore.
On September 30, 2025, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Republican leaders refused requests from Democrats to swear in Grijalva during a brief pro forma session, according to reporting by Nexstar Media Inc. The move, while technically within the House’s procedural rules, effectively stalled a discharge petition—just one signature short of the 218 needed—to force a vote on a bill compelling the Justice Department to release the long-sought Epstein files. Grijalva, who won a special election the previous week to fill the seat of her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, had vowed to sign the petition as soon as she took the oath.
The discharge petition, filed earlier in September by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), has drawn rare bipartisan support. Over 200 Democrats and four Republicans—Massie himself, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.)—have signed on. The petition represents a procedural end-run around House GOP leadership, which has resisted the bill on the grounds that it does not adequately protect victims and that the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is already investigating the matter.
Grijalva’s delayed swearing-in became a lightning rod for Democratic frustration. She traveled to Washington this week, flanked by House Democrats who returned to the Capitol during a recess to press GOP leaders to negotiate on government funding. But when the House floor briefly opened at noon on Tuesday for a pro forma session—a routine procedure that allows the chamber to pause business—Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) presided, gaveling out and refusing to recognize Democrats shouting for a vote on a proposal to keep the government open. Grijalva was not sworn in.
After the session, Griffith explained, “Historically, you do it when the House is in session other than pro forma.” But Grijalva pointed out an inconsistency. “There’s no reason why I couldn’t have been sworn in, and it’s very problematic, because we’re facing a government shutdown. We’re going to have constituents who have questions, and there is nobody there to answer questions,” she said, referencing a previous instance where Florida Republicans were sworn in during a pro forma session earlier in the year.
Grijalva also noted the lack of communication from leadership: “Your guess is as good as mine,” she said about the timing of her swearing-in. A spokesperson for Speaker Johnson said Grijalva would be sworn in when the House returns to regular session, currently scheduled for October 7.
The Democratic Women’s Caucus, led by Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), sent a letter urging Johnson to act immediately. “It is common practice in the House of Representatives that Representatives-elect are sworn in immediately following their decisive election, with some being sworn in as little as 24 hours after they have won,” Fernández wrote. “This instance should be no different.”
Despite the uproar, the delay in Grijalva’s swearing-in does not shift the current balance of power in the House. With 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats, the GOP’s slim margin remains unchanged, and on any party-line vote, Republican leaders can afford just two defections if all members are present and voting. However, the delay does block the last needed signature for the Epstein files discharge petition, keeping the issue in procedural limbo.
The Epstein files saga has become a rallying point for lawmakers across the aisle, but it has also sparked controversy and conspiracy theories—none more visible than those swirling around Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Over the weekend, Greene posted an ominous message on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I am not suicidal and one of the happiest healthiest people you will meet,” and warning, “if something happens to me, I ask you all to find out which foreign government or powerful people would take heinous actions to stop the information from coming out. Not only about this issue, but because of the truth that I have been speaking.” She reiterated her support for the discharge petition and her commitment to exposing the Epstein “rape and pedophile network.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) seized on Greene’s post, accusing her of antisemitic insinuations. “Why do crazy people keep thinking ‘the Jews’ are trying to kill them?” Cruz wrote on social media, prompting swift backlash from users who pointed out that Greene had made no such reference. “She never mentioned Jews, but you just told on yourself here,” replied internet personality Elijah Schaffer. Others mocked Cruz’s leap, posting memes and questioning his interpretation. Cruz doubled down, writing, “To all the bots saying she never mentioned the Jews, it says ‘find out which foreign government or powerful people would take heinous actions.’ She’s talking about Belgians? Argentinians?” He added, “As she said ‘the People understand.’ Yes we do.”
Greene, for her part, has remained focused on the petition. “I stand with girls and women who are sexually abused and raped. Period. Every time. At all times,” she posted, emphasizing that her involvement is not about partisan battles but about seeking justice for survivors. Greene also joined Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) at a joint press conference on Capitol Hill, where survivors of Epstein’s abuse spoke publicly, underscoring the gravity and urgency of the issue.
Meanwhile, the procedural wrangling over Grijalva’s swearing-in has drawn comparisons to other recent cases. Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.), who was elected earlier this month to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, was able to exert similar pressure by traveling to the Capitol the day after his election and demanding to be sworn in so he could sign the discharge petition. Walkinshaw was sworn in on a voting day, not during a pro forma session, highlighting the sometimes inconsistent application of House traditions.
Republican leaders maintain that their opposition to the Epstein files bill is rooted in concern for victims’ privacy and the integrity of ongoing investigations. They point to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s work as evidence that the matter is being addressed. Critics, however, see the delay tactics as politically motivated, especially given the bipartisan momentum behind the discharge petition and the public’s demand for transparency in the Epstein case.
With the House not set to return until October 7, the fate of both the discharge petition and Grijalva’s first days in Congress remains in limbo. But as lawmakers and activists alike keep the pressure on, the episode serves as a vivid reminder of how procedural maneuvers and personal politics can shape—even stall—the pursuit of accountability at the highest levels of government.