Arizona’s attorney general has sued Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson over his refusal to seat Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva.
Grivalja won a Sept. 23 special election in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District to replace her late father, former Rep. Raúl Grijalva. But, Johnson has refused to swear her in, arguing that Grijalva won her race after the House “had already gone out of session.”
In the filing on Tuesday, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes argues, “This case is about whether someone duly elected to the House may be denied her rightful office simply because the Speaker has decided to keep the House out of ‘regular session.’”
The lawsuit argues that the Speaker does not have the authority to delay Grijalva’s appointment, adding that “the Constitution does not specify who must administer the oath, only that Representatives must take it.”
Mayes is asking the court to compel Johnson to swear in Grijalva or allow her to be sworn in by someone else.
Grijalva has accused Johnson of slow-walking her swearing-in ceremony because she has vowed to sign a discharge petition to force a vote on legislation related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement, Johnson dismissed the lawsuit as a publicity stunt.
“We run the House. She has no jurisdiction. We’re following the precedent,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol. “She’s looking for national publicity. Apparently, she’s gotten some of it, but good luck with that.”
