Arizona Rep.-Elect Grijalva To Be Sworn In on Wednesday: Speaker Johnson

Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva will be sworn in Wednesday following a seven-week delay after a special election, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office announced Tuesday.

Johnson’s office confirmed plans to administer the oath of office to Grijalva at about 4 p.m. Wednesday before the lower chamber holds votes on a funding bill to reopen the government.

“I almost can’t believe it’s true,” the newly elected Democrat said in a video posted to X on Nov. 10.

The newest U.S. House of Representatives member was elected on Sept. 23 to take over a seat left vacant after her father, U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, died of cancer while in office. Her father—also a Democrat—had served since 2003.

Johnson said during an interview last week on “Straight Shooter with Stephen A.” that he was “anxious to administer the oath” to Grijalva but was delayed from doing so during the government shutdown.

“There’s no other objective here,” Johnson said. “I’m just trying to follow the regular order.”

Federal law states that the speaker of the House is in charge of swearing in House members in the House chamber. If the member’s oath is delayed, he or she can be sworn in elsewhere by someone designated by the House speaker.

Grijalva and Arizona Attorney General Kristin Mayes sued the House of Representatives in federal court on Oct. 21, asking the court to bypass the House speaker and declare Grijalva a House member once the oath is administered by anyone authorized to do so.

Grijalva said Tuesday she was upset about her first vote in the House.

“I am really upset that one of the first votes I will take is on a bill that does nothing for affordable health care for the American people,” she said Tuesday, referring to the Republican-backed funding bill passed by the Senate late on Monday.

She again alleged that her swearing-in ceremony was delayed because of politics.

“This can never happen again to another member-elect that is waiting in the wings because someone doesn’t want to do their job or because they’re playing politics,” Grijalva said.

The new representative holds the record for the longest delay of a member of Congress being seated following a special election.

Democrats also accused Johnson of stalling Grijalva’s oath of office because she would be the decisive signature on a petition to force a House vote on releasing the Epstein files related to the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.