Speaker Mike Johnson is just not planning to permit Democrats’ latest congresswoman-elect to be sworn-in till her occasion agrees to finish the federal government shutdown, regardless of telling NCS earlier Tuesday that he would swear her in “as soon as she wants.”
“We will swear in Rep.-Elect [Adelita] Grijalva as soon as the House returns to session when Chuck Schumer, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego decide to open up the government,” a management aide said Tuesday.
But whereas the management aide contended “it’s a customary practice in the House to swear in members when the chamber is in legislative session,” Johnson swore in Florida GOP Reps. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine throughout a professional forma session earlier this 12 months.
As the federal government shutdown has dragged on with out the Senate capable of attain a deal to fund the federal government, the House has been holding transient “pro forma” periods the place the chamber is rapidly gaveled out and isn’t engaged in legislative enterprise.
Johnson, requested earlier Tuesday why he had not sworn in Grijalva throughout a professional forma session when she was elected in September and whether or not it was related to a push to vote on the discharge of the Jeffrey Epstein case recordsdata, said: “No, it has nothing to do with that at all. We will swear her in when everybody gets back. It’s a ceremonial duty.”
“Look, we’ll schedule it, I guess, as soon as she wants. It has nothing to do with it. I, we’re in pro forma session because there is nothing for the House to do. The House has done its job,” the speaker said when pressed by NCS on why he was ready for the complete House to return.
Grijalva is anticipated to offer the ultimate signature wanted on a petition to pressure a full House vote on releasing additional supplies in the Epstein case, however Johnson has insisted the delay in her swearing-in is just not associated to that difficulty.
Johnson didn’t clarify why he has chosen to delay her swearing in, though he has dealt with different members in a different way.
The incoming congresswoman, who won a special election two weeks in the past, has been calling on Johnson to offer a date for her swearing in, arguing in a letter to the speaker on Monday that the delay “is robbing the people of Southern Arizona of essential constituent services.”
NCS has reached out to Grijalva for her response to Johnson’s newest feedback.
Rep. Jim McGovern, the highest Democrat on the House Rules Committee, advised reporters on the Capitol on Monday, that it’s “outrageous” that Grijalva had not but been sworn in.
“This is outrageous. You got the White House undermining our democracy. Now you got the speaker of the House doing the same thing. I mean, this is all about a continuation of the Epstein cover up,” he said.