Criticism of GOP Leaders Over Delayed Swearing-In of New Democrats
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries from New York expressed his discontent on Tuesday regarding Republican leaders’ refusal to swear in newly elected Democrats. He argued that this delay strips hundreds of thousands of Americans of their representation in Washington.
“It’s shameful that Mike Johnson and the Republican Party are still refusing to swear in Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva,” Jeffries stated to reporters at the Capitol. “It’s disrespectful not only to her but also to the 812,000 people who voted for her, to the great state of Arizona, and to the integrity of the House of Representatives.”
Earlier, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) had taken the floor, pushing for a motion that would require Republican leaders to swear in Grijalva on the next legislative day set for Friday. Raskin’s action came during a short session, since Rep. Johnson (R-Louisiana) had canceled all House votes due to the ongoing shutdown.
Rep. Mike Haridopoulos (R-Florida), who was in charge of that session, dismissed Raskin’s request and immediately adjourned the session.
Johnson defended his decision to keep Grijalva from taking the oath, maintaining that it aligns with the House’s customary practice of swearing in new members only during regular sessions. He mentioned he would convene the House again if Democrats helped reopen the government, facilitating Grijalva’s swearing-in.
However, Johnson has seemed to apply different standards to his fellow Republicans. Back in April, he quickly swore in two newly elected Florida Republicans within 24 hours of their victories, citing their family’s presence in Washington as a rationale for the expedited process.
Grijalva, elected on September 23, contested Johnson’s justification, asserting that the delay hampers her ability to assist her constituents during the federal shutdown and the resulting challenges.
“I’m getting a lot of attention for not taking the oath, but I’d prefer to get it for doing my job,” Grijalva remarked. “And I can’t do that right now.”
