Topline
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., clashed with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday, accusing the speaker of stalling to avoid swearing in an Arizona representative-elect because she would provide the deciding vote on a bill that could release the files on Jeffery Epstein—but Johnson denied this charge and instead blamed the ongoing government shutdown.
Grijalva, who won a special election in Arizona in September, would be the deciding vote for a discharge petition that would force a floor vote on releasing the Epstein files.
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Key Facts
Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., won the September special election to replace her father, former Rep. Raul Grijalva, after he died while undergoing cancer treatment in March—but Johnson has deferred from calling a pro forma session to swear the Arizona Democrat into office while the government remains shut down.
Grijalva is expected to provide the deciding vote to approve a discharge petition that would force the House to vote on releasing the Epstein files, and Gallego accused the speaker of “blocking” her from taking office, later adding “you don’t want to be on the Epstein discharge.”
In an exchange in front of reporters Wednesday, Johnson called Gallego’s accusation “totally absurd” and instead pressed the senators to vote to reopen the government.
The House is not currently in session, though Johnson has the power to call a pro forma session—which the Senate Glossary defines as “A brief meeting of the Senate or House, often only a few minutes in duration, during which business is not usually conducted”—to swear in Grijalva.
Crucial Quote
“Speaker Johnson continues to make excuses, but all the while southern Arizona still does not have a voice in Washington,” Grijalva said in a video statement Wednesday, asking constituents to apply pressure to the speaker to swear her in.
What Are Democrats Trying To Pass?
Democrats in Congress are trying to pass a discharge petition, a tool that would force a floor vote on a bill that would release the files related to the government’s investigations and prosecutions of the disgraced financier. The effort was spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and the petition needs the support of a majority of members to pass. Only four Republicans have s