Critics are tearing into House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his latest claims about Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), whom he still hasn’t sworn in to office more than three weeks after she won a special election in Arizona.
He blamed Democrats for the delay ― and then attacked Grijalva for not doing her job, which she is largely unable to perform because he hasn’t sworn her in yet.
“I am happy and anxious to administer the oath to Rep. Grijalva, and we will do that as soon as we return to legislative session,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday. “We need [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats in the Senate to do that.”
Johnson adjourned the House last month after passing a funding bill that has since stalled in the Senate, leading to a partial shutdown of the federal government. Democrats are looking for concessions on health care, especially the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
Mike Johnson: “Let me say this right now though, Jake. Rep. Grijalva should be working for her constituents right now. I don’t know what she’s doing. I keep seeing their political stunt videos. She should be in her office. She should be working or in the district for her… pic.twitter.com/ZPAdu3alVq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2025
The speaker said he won’t bring the House back into session until Senate Democrats end their holdout ― and he won’t swear in Grijalva until the House returns to session.
The House has been holding brief “pro forma” sessions, and Johnson has used those sessions to swear in new members several times this year.
But he won’t do it for Grijalva.
Johnson also claimed he was following a precedent set by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who once delayed swearing in a new member for more than three weeks in 2021.
Johnson didn’t mention that it was due largely to COVID-related protocols in place at the time.
Then, Johnson scolded Grijalva for not “working.”
“She should be working for her constituents,” he told Tapper. “She should be in her office. She should be working, or in the district for her constituents.”
Grijalva earlier in the day shared a video showing her new office ― but much of the equipment inside, including the computers, doesn’t work because she hasn’t been sworn in yet and therefore doesn’t have access:
Many observers say there’s another reason Johnson is stalling: Grijalva, once sworn in, would be the final signature needed on a discharge petition to force a vote to compel the Justice Department to release a trove of files related to late convicted sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.
President Donald Trump and those around him repeatedly vowed to release those files during last year’s campaign.
Now that he is in office, Trump ― who was once close friends with Epstein ― has called it a “Democrat hoax.”
Critics on social media called out Johnson:
Bless his heart, the Speaker must not know how things work around here.
Because she hasn’t been sworn in, she legally CAN’T be doing constituent advocacy with agencies like the VA, the IRS, or the Social Security Administration.
She’s got a lot to do here, you’re the one… https://t.co/LHEO4avA8A
— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) October 16, 2025
Wow. That is some twisted lie-logic flowing out of Johnson’s mouth hole right there.
— Mimzy (@MimzyNGB) October 16, 2025
his excuse that “i’m following the ‘pelosi precedent’” is so obviously bullshit because why didn’t he follow said precedent for the three other representatives elected in specials this year? https://t.co/EYVX4uWHbQ
— SoFlo Democrat 🇺🇦☀️ (@thomas_sch242) October 16, 2025
The fact that Tapper just sits there and stares with no response as Johnson spews his bullshit is so maddening. Push back a little?!? Come on https://t.co/vAgcZ9xp1q
— Mitch 🇵🇸🏳️🌈 (@Schrommboy33) October 17, 2025
Better watch Rep Grijalva video when she is in her office.
She cannot do squat without being sworn in.
She doesn’t have a government email.
She has no budget.
She has no computers.
She has no phones.
She has no government website.
She has NOTHING -you won’t swear her in. https://t.co/7N8p1ggLHF
— Rebel Rice (@RebelRice) October 16, 2025
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