Southern Arizona has gone without representation in Congress for 201 days, and it seems residents will have to wait a little longer.
After being elected last week to represent Arizona’s District 7 in Congress, Adelita Grijalva has yet to be sworn in.
“I came to the Capitol today, ready to be sworn in and get to work for the people of Southern Arizona,” said Representative-elect Grijalva in a news release. “Instead, Speaker [Mike] Johnson chose to delay, denying our community the representation we deserve.”
The standoff comes before a looming government shutdown, as the House and Senate have not been able to agree to extend funding resolutions.
Johnson cleared the House schedule, so no votes are happening this week on the House floor leading up to a possible government shutdown. Tuesday was the deadline and the end of the federal fiscal year.
On Sept. 19, the House passed a short-term continuing resolution that keeps the government running at current funding levels through Nov. 21. U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who represents Arizona’s Congressional District 6, voted yes.
While Johnson has not offered an explanation for the delayed swearing in, the results of the special election won’t be certified until Oct. 14.
Eight Southern Arizona mayors, including Regina Romero of Tucson, Jorge Maldonado of Nogales, and Ken Budge of Bisbee, wrote a letter to Johnson, urging him to swear in Grijalva.
“Every day that Congresswoman-elect Grijalva’s swearing-in is postponed is a day that 800,000 Arizonans are denied their full voice in the People’s House,” the mayors write.
Both Grijalva’s press release and the letter from the mayors mention that earlier this year, Republican Representatives Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine, both of Florida, were sworn in less than 24 hours after their special elections.
Grijalva questioned why Arizona was being treated differently, saying it raised “serious questions about political motivations.” She mentioned that she has pledged to become what could be the deciding vote to release the Epstein files. The files of the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which some claim contain incriminating references to President Donald Trump, have plagued the administration with controversy for months.
“Every day that Speaker Johnson delays is another day Southern Arizonans are left without a voice in Congress and without essential in-district services,” Grijalva said in a news release. “With federal budget negotiations happening now, our community deserves a seat at the table — not partisan obstruction.”
On Monday, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark called on Johnson to reschedule votes ahead of the impending government shutdown to swear in Grijalva.
“The people of Arizona’s 7th district have been without representation since the untimely death of Representative-elect Grijalva’s father,” Clark said in a statement. “Any delay in swearing in Representative-elect Grijalva unnecessarily deprives her constituents of representation and calls into question if the motive behind the delay is to further avoid the release of the Epstein files.”
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