Johnson Faces Scrutiny for Delaying Swearing-In of Democrat Grijalva
House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing scrutiny for delaying the swearing-in of Democratic Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, whose signature would trigger a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Johnson claimed the delay was due to the House being in a “pro forma” session, despite having sworn in Republican members during similar sessions. This explanation was challenged by reporters, who noted that Grijalva’s signature would be the 218th on a petition to force a vote on the Epstein files, which Johnson and Donald Trump oppose. Grijalva expressed concern about the precedent the delay sets, and both Democrats and Republicans have called for the files’ release.