Arizona AG Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Speaker Mike Johnson and the House

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against House Speaker Mike Johnson and the U.S. House of Representatives, demanding the immediate swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva.

The suit accuses Johnson of unlawfully withholding Grijalva’s seat to manipulate a razor-thin legislative majority, potentially derailing a high-stakes vote on releasing long-sealed Jeffrey Epstein investigation files.

As the government shutdown stretches into its 22nd day, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed and essential services in limbo, this legal bombshell has ignited fresh accusations of constitutional sabotage and voter disenfranchisement.

The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, paints Johnson’s delay as a blatant violation of the Constitution’s mandate that duly elected members of Congress be seated without undue interference. Grijalva, a 42-year-old progressive Democrat and community organizer, triumphed in a special election on September 23, 2025, to succeed her late father, longtime Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who passed away from complications related to a long battle with cancer in March.

Her victory in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District – a sprawling, Democratic stronghold encompassing Tucson, parts of the U.S.-Mexico border, and over 813,000 residents – was certified by state officials on October 1. Yet, more than a month later, Grijalva remains in congressional purgatory, barred from voting, accessing her office independently, or even reimbursing travel expenses during the shutdown.

“This is taxation without representation in the 21st century,” Mayes declared in a fiery press conference outside the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon, flanked by Grijalva and a cadre of Democratic lawmakers. “Speaker Johnson is not just denying Adelita her rightful place; he’s silencing the voices of hundreds of thousands of Arizonans at a time when they need advocacy most – from border security funding to disaster relief for wildfires scorching the Southwest.” The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment affirming Grijalva’s status as a seated member upon oath-taking and, crucially, authorizes any qualified official – including a federal judge – to administer the oath if Johnson refuses. Legal experts, citing precedents like the Supreme Court’s 1969 ruling in Powell v. McCormack, argue the Constitution leaves no room for such Speaker veto power, emphasizing that qualifications are for voters, not congressional gatekeepers.

At the heart of the controversy lies a toxic brew of shutdown brinkmanship and a simmering scandal over Epstein’s shadowy network of elite enablers. The House is deadlocked at 217 Republicans to 215 Democrats, a margin so fragile it amplifies every procedural maneuver. Grijalva’s seating would flip the balance, handing Democrats a pivotal vote on H.Res. 742 – a bipartisan discharge petition spearheaded by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to compel the Justice Department to declassify all Epstein-related documents. With 217 signatures already secured, Grijalva’s pledge to add the 218th would force an immediate floor vote, bypassing GOP leadership and potentially exposing unflattering ties involving former President Donald Trump and other power brokers.

Democrats aren’t mincing words: This delay reeks of a cover-up. “Johnson’s obstruction is an unlawful breach of our Constitution, designed to block justice for Epstein’s survivors and shield the Trump administration from accountability,” Grijalva said, her voice steady but edged with frustration during the presser. She recounted arriving in D.C. in early October, only to be escorted like a visitor through Capitol corridors, unable to field constituent calls on VA benefits or immigration aid without sworn status. “I’m ready to work for my district – the families separated at the border, the veterans waiting on claims – but Republicans are using me as a bargaining chip in their shutdown games.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries amplified the charge, blasting Johnson from the podium: “It’s a disgrace. Republicans are on vacation for four weeks while Arizona’s voters suffer. Depriving 813,000 people of representation? All options are on the table – legal, procedural, whatever it takes.” Jeffries’ rhetoric echoes a growing chorus among Democrats, including Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona, who cornered Johnson on October 8 in a tense speaker’s office showdown. “Is this about Epstein?” Kelly pressed, per sources familiar with the exchange. Johnson shot back, calling the notion a “red herring” and “totally absurd,” insisting the holdup stems solely from the shutdown impasse.

That shutdown, now the second-longest in U.S. history at 22 days, traces back to October 1 when Senate Democrats rebuffed a Republican stopgap funding bill 11 times. The measure, pushed by Johnson, included steep cuts to non-defense discretionary spending and border wall allocations – non-starters for the minority. House Republicans, leveraging their slim edge, recessed indefinitely, vowing not to reconvene until Democrats capitulate. The fallout is visceral: 2.1 million federal employees unpaid, national parks shuttered, and food safety inspections halted. In Arizona alone, Grand Canyon operations have ground to a halt, stranding tourists and costing millions in lost revenue.

Johnson defends his stance with appeals to precedent and pragmatism. Speaking to reporters Tuesday evening, the Louisiana Republican dismissed the lawsuit as a “publicity stunt” from a Democrat “with no jurisdiction over the House.” He invoked the “Pelosi precedent”: In 2021, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi delayed swearing in three GOP special-election winners – including Rep. Julia Letlow of Louisiana – for 25 days during a recess, citing similar logistical hurdles. “We’re not in session. Chronology matters,” Johnson said. “Grijalva won late September, post-recess. We’ll seat her with full pomp and circumstance when we return – but only after Democrats end this shutdown chaos they created.” He added a jab at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: “Arizona’s own Sens. Kelly and Gallego could break the logjam today if they wanted.”

Critics counter that the comparison is apples-to-oranges. Pelosi’s delays involved Republican gains in safe blue districts, not a flip that threatened her majority. Moreover, House rules permit pro forma sessions – brief gatherings to maintain quorum – where oaths could be administered without full legislative action. “This isn’t procedure; it’s politics,” said Rep. Khanna, who co-authors the Epstein petition. In an NBC interview, he urged: “Swear her in, hold the vote. The Epstein story won’t die – it roars back stronger.” Khanna’s bipartisan push underscores the petition’s odd-bedfellows appeal: Even Greene, a Trump ally, backs transparency, tweeting last week, “No more secrets. Release the files – for the victims.”

Public reaction has erupted along partisan fault lines, flooding social media with outrage and memes. On X (formerly Twitter), #SeatGrijalva trended nationwide Tuesday, amassing over 150,000 posts by evening. Progressive activists shared Grijalva’s petition, which has garnered 75,000 signatures demanding her immediate oath, framing it as a feminist stand against patriarchal gatekeeping. “Adelita’s fight is every woman’s fight – elected but erased,” one viral post read. Conservatives, meanwhile, rallied behind #ShutdownDems, with users like @MorningJoeFan decrying “lawfare” tactics: “Democrats STILL trying to rule by lawsuit! Johnson’s right – absurd.” Fox News anchors amplified Johnson’s rebuttal, while MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow called it “a constitutional crisis in slow motion.”

Broader implications loom large. Economists warn the shutdown could shave 0.5% off fourth-quarter GDP, exacerbating inflation woes. For Arizona’s 7th District – 60% Latino, plagued by cartel violence and water shortages – the void is acute. Constituents like Tucson retiree Maria Lopez told local reporters: “My Social Security check’s delayed; who’s fighting for us? Not ghosts.” Grijalva, undeterred, has pivoted to virtual town halls, vowing: “I’ll serve from a laptop if I must, but this suit will get me through those doors.”

Legal scholars predict a swift hearing, possibly by week’s end, given the public interest. Precedents favor Arizona: The high court’s Powell decision barred Congress from excluding qualified members, and Justice Antonin Scalia’s writings affirm oaths as ministerial acts. Yet, House sovereignty – enshrined in the Speech or Debate Clause – could shield Johnson from enforcement. “Courts tread lightly on internal rules,” noted Georgetown law professor Marty Lederman. “But disenfranchisement? That’s radioactive.”

As midnight deadlines loom for debt-ceiling talks, this saga underscores a paralyzed 119th Congress: Trump’s shadow looms over GOP hardliners demanding border concessions, while Democrats decry “MAGA mayhem.” Grijalva’s plight symbolizes the human cost – a young leader, daughter of a civil rights icon, sidelined in a chamber meant to amplify the people. Will justice prevail in court, or will shutdown scars deepen the divide? For now, all eyes on D.C., where democracy’s rituals hang by a thread.