House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) again had to answer questions from the press about why he has yet to swear in newly elected Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), who no September 23 won a special election to fill Arizona’s 7th congressional district seat.
Grijalva claims that Johnson is delaying her swearing in because she has vowed to become the required 218th signature on Rep. Thomas Massie‘s (R-KY) discharge petition to vote for the full release of the Epstein Files, a petition that Johnson has referred to as “reckless.”
Johnson has said that he will swear Grijalva in when the federal government reopens, though the Speaker previously made “unique exceptions” in two similar cases by swearing in two Florida Republicans in April during pro forma sessions.
As seen below at yesterday’s press conference, Johnson said: “I’m following the Pelosi precedent… She took 25 days to administer the oath to Julia Letlow. When Pat Ryan was elected, she waited 21 days to administer to the oath to him.”
Hey Mike — if you’re gonna keep invoking my name, at least get the facts right.
No one CANCELLED scheduled votes to delay my swearing-in.
You’re deliberately cancelling votes to protect pedophiles and take away health care from the American people.
Swear-in @AdelitaForAZ NOW! https://t.co/B90poSpFFn
— Pat Ryan
(@PatRyanUC) October 20, 2025
U.S. Congressman Pat Ryan (D-NY) replied to Johnson: “Hey Mike — if you’re gonna keep invoking my name, at least get the facts right. No one CANCELLED scheduled votes to delay my swearing-in. You’re deliberately cancelling votes to protect pedophiles and take away health care from the American people. Swear-in @AdelitaForAZ NOW!”
Note: Congresswoman Letlow (R-LA) was sworn in by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on April 14, 2021, to replace her late husband Luke Letlow, who died from COVID-19 in December 2020 before taking office. Letlow won a special election in January 2021 with the endorsement of President Trump.
Letlow responded to the Grijalva controversy on social media: “I did not request a delayed swearing-in. My preference was to begin serving immediately after my special election. Democrats should quit with these political games and reopen the government so we can conduct the people’s business.”