Attorney General Kris Mayes is preparing to take legal action against House Speaker Mike Johnson over Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva not being sworn into Congress.
On Tuesday, Mayes sent a letter to Johnson requesting that Grijalva be sworn into office immediately. She gave him a two-day deadline and indicated she would pursue legal action if he didn't comply. That deadline has now passed without a response from the Speaker's office.
In a CNN interview, Mayes said she has lawyers drafting a lawsuit regarding the situation. Grijalva won her special election three weeks ago with 70% of the vote, but has not yet taken the oath of office.
"[In] Arizona's 7th congressional District, 813,000 Arizonans are now being taxed without representation. That’s unacceptable," Mayes argued.
According to Mayes, Johnson has provided multiple reasons for the delay. She argues that no Speaker has the constitutional authority to prevent a duly elected member from being seated.
"The law is very clear that no Speaker of the House has the right to deny a state the seating of a member of Congress," Mayes stated. "He should walk over to her office right now and swear her in."
Controversial Delay
The situation has left Grijalva in limbo. She cannot vote on legislation, doesn't have an official email address, and lacks access to phones or computers needed to serve her constituents.
This is especially problematic as southern Arizona recently experienced flooding, and residents in her District cannot receive help with federal services like Social Security or veterans' benefits.
Mayes suspects the real reason behind the delay is political. She believes Johnson is blocking Grijalva because she would likely be the deciding vote on the Epstein discharge petition, a legislative maneuver that could force action on a specific issue.
"Whatever the reason is, it's gotta end now," Mayes urged. "The people of the state of Arizona hired me to be their lawyer and hired me to protect them."
The Attorney General called Johnson's claims "laughable" and "offensive," accusing him of lying to the American people about why Grijalva remains unseated.
With no resolution in sight, Mayes says she is prepared to take the matter to court to protect the rights and representation of the 813,000 constituents in Arizona’s 7th District and to ensure their votes are upheld.
