Arizona AG threatens legal action against Mike Johnson for failing to swear in new lawmaker

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Tuesday warned House Speaker Mike Johnson that she would pursue legal action against him if he does not swear in new Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva, who won a special election last month.

Critics of the speaker have accused him of not swearing Grijalva in because she would give Democrats enough support to force a vote on a bipartisan resolution that would require the Justice Department to release files regarding Jeffrey Epstein.

Johnson has denied that the delay in swearing Grijalva in has to do with Epstein. He said that the swearing-in will take place when the shutdown ends and the House returns to session. "We have to get back to business. We have to open the government,"

Grijalva won the House seat in a special election last month to fill her father's post. Her father, the late Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva died in March. 

“Arizona’s right to a full delegation, and the right of the residents of [District seven] to representation from the person they recently voted for, are not up for debate and may not be delayed or used as leverage in negotiations about unrelated legislation,” Mayes wrote in the letter. 

"We thus demand that Ms. Grijalva be immediately sworn into office and admitted to her rightful seat," she continued. "We ask that within two days of the date of this letter, you provide this Office with your assurance of when and where that will take place, which must be immediate and prior to the date the House comes back into regular session."

The letter comes as the House remains on recess from Washington, D.C., during the government shutdown. The House has already passed a continuing resolution that would keep the government open until Nov. 21, but the Senate has failed to pass it so far. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.