House to vote on release of Jeffrey Epstein files after newly sworn-in Adelita Grijalva signs petition

PHOENIX — After a historic 50-day wait to be sworn in, U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona marked her first official act on Wednesday by signing a petition to force a vote on releasing files related to the high-profile Jeffrey Epstein trafficking case.

“The American people expect their duly elected representatives to fight for them,” Grijalva said shortly after Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson administered the oath. “That is why I will sign the discharge petition right now to release the Epstein files.”

She and other Arizona Democrats in Congress have accused Johnson of delaying her swearing-in over concerns about the bipartisan discharge petition.

However, Johnson has denied the delay was connected to the Epstein case, claiming instead that it was due to the government shutdown.

What impact will Adelita Grijalva signing the Jeffrey Epstein petition have?

Grijalva now holds the seat once occupied by her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva. She joins a closely divided House with 219 Republicans and 214 Democrats. Before Wednesday, the petition was one signature short of the 218 needed to force a vote. With Grijalva’s support, that threshold has now been met.

Coinciding with her swearing-in, House Democrats released around 23,000 files related to the Epstein case.

“Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that Trump knew more about Epstein’s abuses than he previously acknowledged,” Grijalva said. “It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration and fight for we, the American people.”

Before Grijalva was sworn in, President Donald Trump referred to the allegations as “a hoax,” claiming online that “Only a very, bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.”

Due to House rules, her signature will not mean a vote right away. Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, said he expects voting on the Epstein bill to take place in early December.

If the files are released, they could lead to explosive revelations, potentially implicating individuals named by victims of the New York financier who died in 2019 while facing charges of sex abuse and trafficking.

Adelita Grijalva honors victims of Jeffrey Epstein during first House floor speech

Grijalva honored Epstein’s victims during her first speech on the House floor.

“Our democracy only works if everyone has a voice,” Grijalva said. “This includes the millions of people across the country who have experienced violence and exploitation, including Liz Stein and Jessica Michaels, both survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse.”

@ktarnews Minutes after taking office following a record 50-day delay, Arizona U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva gave her first speech on the House floor, calling for politicians to hold President Donald Trump accountable and announcing that she would immediately sign a petition calling for the discharge of the Epstein files. #grijalva #speech #congress #arizona #fyp #epstein #trump ♬ original sound – KTAR News

She thanked the two women for being in the gallery.

“It’s past time for Congress to restore its role as a check and balance on this administration and fight for the American people,” Grijalva said. “Justice cannot wait another day.”

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