Adelita Grijalva sworn into Congress after Mike Johnson made her wait record-breaking 50 days

PHOENIX — After a historically long wait, U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva was finally sworn into Congress on Wednesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson administered the oath shortly after 2 p.m. Arizona time, officially seating Grijalva as the representative for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District (CD7).

Grijalva won a Sept. 23 special election in a landslide, claiming a vacant seat formerly held by her late father, Raúl Grijalva.

CD7 had been vacant since his March 13 death after a long battle with cancer, leaving constituents in the southern Arizona district without representation for eight months.

“While we celebrate this moment today, our American promise is under serious threat. Basic freedoms are under attack. Health care premiums are skyrocketing. Babies are being ripped from their parents by masked agents. We can and must do better,” Grijalva said on the House floor after her swearing-in ceremony.

Adelita Grijalva sworn in after historically long wait

Grijalva sharply critiqued Johnson for the historically long delay.

“It has been 50 days since the people of Arizona’s 7th Congressional District elected me to represent them. Fifty days that over 800,000 Arizonans have been left without access to the basic services that every constituent deserves,” Grijalva said. “This is an abuse of power. One individual should not be able to unilaterally obstruct the swearing-in of a duly elected member of Congress for political reasons.”

Johnson initially said he was waiting for the results of the landslide special election victory to be officially canvassed on Oct. 14. He later said he wouldn’t swear Grijalva in while the House was out of session during the government shutdown, which started Oct. 1.

That explanation drew criticism, as Johnson had previously sworn in two Florida Republicans — Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine — less than 24 hours after their elections, during a similar out-of-session period.

The House reconvened Wednesday for the first time since Sept. 19, when Johnson dismissed the chamber ahead of the shutdown.

Adelita Grijalva sworn in: What does this mean for Jeffrey Epstein files?

The extended delay in swearing in Grijalva has sparked speculation from lawmakers across the aisle that Speaker Johnson may have been trying to block her from signing a petition that could trigger a vote to release Justice Department files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.

U.S. Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona went so far as to call him “Pedo Protector Mike” on social media.

The clock is ticking @SpeakerJohnson https://t.co/EK5qGQ7Hv7

— Adelita Grijalva (@AdelitaForAZ) November 7, 2025

However, Johnson has denied any connection between his delay in swearing in Grijalva and the Epstein files.

Pressure on Johnson to act came from multiple Arizona Democrats. In October, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sued Johnson over the delay — a lawsuit that is now moot with Grijalva being seated.

Grijalva promised to now add her signature to the petition, but her move will not lead to an immediate vote due to House rules. 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.

She 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. They are here in the gallery with us this evening. Thank you for being here.”

Related

Mike Johnson could soon swear in US Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva after record 48-day delayArizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva hopes to be seated without court interventionRep.-elect Adelita Grijalva connects with Arizona constituents despite record-breaking delayArizona sheriff’s office cuts ties with K-9 foundation over concerns about transparencyTempe Marketplace welcomes 5 additions, including newly opened CarharttState Route 51 construction to bring weeks of around-the-clock delays