Johnson to swear in Grijalva after 7-week delay, amid Epstein file tensions

Watch Johnson to swear in Grijalva after 7-week delay, amid Epstein file tensions - Straight Arrow News on Dailymotion

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00:00Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva will finally be sworn in as the newest member of Congress,

00:08seven weeks after winning her special election to fill the seat once held by her late father,

00:13Raul Grijalva. Speaker Mike Johnson's office confirming Tuesday night that it will happen

00:18later today. After seven weeks of waiting, I almost can't believe it's true. This can never

00:23happen again to another member elect that is waiting in the wings because someone doesn't

00:28want to do their job or because they're playing politics. Grijalva has been outspoken about the

00:32delay, calling it an unlawful breach of the democratic process. Critics say Johnson stalled

00:37her swearing in to avoid giving Democrats the 218th signature needed to force a vote on the release of

00:44the Jeffrey Epstein files. Johnson denies that, calling the accusation a moot point, saying the

00:49House Oversight Committee is already conducting its own Epstein investigation. When he was asked on

00:55Monday whether or not he would finally swear in Grijalva, here's what he told CNN.

01:00When are you going to swear in Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona, who was elected way

01:04back in September? Yeah, just as I promised, as soon as we get back to legislative session. So,

01:09I mean, before we have this vote that we're talking about, she'll be administered the oath.

01:12After the House gavels in, but before the vote. Right, yeah, sure, sure, as soon as we get started,

01:16yeah. When Grijalva takes her oath this afternoon, the House Republican majority will narrow once again,

01:21219 to 214, and a new round of political fallout may not be far behind.