The halls of Congress have seen their fair share of political drama, but the ongoing standoff over swearing in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has captivated—and infuriated—observers across the political spectrum. More than three weeks after Grijalva’s special election victory in Arizona’s 7th congressional district, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to administer the oath of office, plunging the House into a fresh controversy and deepening public cynicism about American politics.
Grijalva’s September 24, 2025, win should have been a straightforward affair: a new member is elected, arrives in Washington, and is promptly sworn in to represent her constituents. Yet, as of October 20, the ceremony remains in limbo. The delay has become a flashpoint, with Democrats accusing Johnson of political gamesmanship and critics warning that the episode only erodes faith in democratic norms.
At the heart of the dispute is a discharge petition related to the public release of files tied to the late Jeffrey Epstein—a petition that, according to Nexstar Media, needs just one more signature to move forward. Grijalva, once sworn in, would be eligible to sign, potentially forcing a vote on the matter. Until she takes the oath, however, the petition remains stalled, and so does the quest for answers about Epstein’s connections and alleged crimes.
Johnson, for his part, has offered a shifting array of explanations for the delay. When confronted by Arizona’s Democratic senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, on October 8, he claimed the House was not formally in session and therefore unable to swear in new members. “It’s a ceremonial duty… We will do it as soon as she wants,” Johnson said, before adding that the government needed to reopen first—a reference to the ongoing shutdown initiated by House Republicans to pressure Senate Democrats on spending negotiations.
But critics quickly pointed out the inconsistency. As ABC News reported, Johnson had no qualms about swearing in two Republican representatives—Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine of Florida—during a pro forma session in April, even though the House was technically out of session then. Another Republican, elected in September, was sworn in less than 24 hours after her victory. “Let’s just be really clear, if I were a Republican, I would have already been sworn in, and that is not acceptable,” Grijalva told reporters during a protest outside Johnson’s office. “They’re afraid of me signing and being the 218th signer to the Epstein petition.”
Democrats have kept up the pressure. On October 14, Grijalva and dozens of colleagues marched to Johnson’s office, demanding action. “We had a freshman class sworn in 2019 during a shutdown. … Speaker Johnson’s precedent is what he is backpedaling on,” Grijalva noted in an interview, referencing a precedent set during a previous government shutdown.
Meanwhile, Johnson has attempted to deflect, at times blaming Senate Democrats for the impasse. In an October 16 interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Johnson insisted, “I am happy and anxious to administer the oath to Rep. Grijalva, and we will do that as soon as we return to legislative session. We need [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats in the Senate to do that.” He then pivoted to criticize Grijalva herself: “Rep. Grijalva should be working for her constituents right now. I don’t know what she’s doing. I keep seeing their political stunt videos. She should be in her office. She should be working or in the district for her constituents.”
The irony was not lost on observers. As Grijalva pointed out in a video posted to social media, she has an office—but little else. “Keys to the office? Check! Sworn in as Congresswoman? Not quite,” she quipped, panning over nonfunctional computers and phones. Without being sworn in, she lacks access to basic resources, a government email, or the ability to conduct official business for her constituents. As Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) remarked on social media, “Because she hasn’t been sworn in, she legally CAN’T be doing constituent advocacy with agencies like the VA, the IRS, or the Social Security Administration. She’s got a lot to do here, you’re the one [blocking her].”
Johnson’s invocation of precedent has also drawn skepticism. He has cited former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to delay swearing in a new member for more than three weeks in 2021. However, as CNN and other outlets noted, that delay was due to COVID-19 protocols—an extraordinary circumstance, not a political calculation. Johnson’s refusal to swear in Grijalva during pro forma sessions, while previously doing so for Republicans, has fueled accusations of hypocrisy and partisanship.
The stakes are not merely procedural. Swearing in Grijalva would bring the House Democratic caucus to 215 members, narrowing the already razor-thin Republican majority. More importantly for many, it would allow her to join the discharge petition on the Epstein files—a move that could force a public reckoning on a topic that has long been shrouded in secrecy and speculation. According to HuffPost, President Trump and his allies had previously vowed to release the files, only to later dismiss the effort as a “Democrat hoax.”
Social media has erupted with criticism of Johnson’s stance. “She can’t work for her constituents because you won’t swear her into her job. My god these people,” posted one commentator, while another added, “It’s the Republican philosophy—elections only matter when they like the outcome.” Even some lawmakers have weighed in, with Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) quipping, “Bless his heart… He doesn’t know how it works around here.”
For many, the episode is reminiscent of previous partisan power plays—most notably, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal in 2016 to consider President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, only to reverse course and confirm a nominee just before the 2020 election. As Nexstar Media observed, “That kind of leadership deepens public cynicism and makes any leader who plays by the ‘rules’ look foolish. The American people deserve better.”
House rules do require the Speaker to administer the oath of office to all members-elect, typically on the first day of a new Congress. But for special elections, there is no set timetable. The Speaker, in effect, has broad discretion—a power that, in this case, is being wielded with unmistakable political consequences.
As the shutdown drags on and the House remains adjourned, the people of Arizona’s 7th district remain without a voice in Congress. The impasse over Grijalva’s swearing-in is more than a bureaucratic squabble; it’s a test of the House’s commitment to democratic representation and procedural fairness. The longer it continues, the more it seems to confirm the worst suspicions of a public already skeptical of its leaders’ motives—and the less faith Americans have that their votes, and their voices, truly matter.
