Arizona AG Sues to Compel Johnson to Swear in Grijalva

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court seeking to compel U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Democrat Adelita Grijalva, nearly a month after she won a special election to represent Arizona's 7th Congressional District. The 17-page complaint asks a judge to order the speaker to administer the oath or to allow another official authorized to administer oaths to do so if Johnson continues to refuse while the House remains out of session amid a government shutdown.

Mayes argues the delay improperly denies more than 800,000 residents of the southern Arizona district representation in Congress and that the Constitution does not permit the speaker to withhold seating from a duly elected member. The complaint also contends that the speaker has not identified a lawful reason for the delay and asks the court to declare that other authorized officials may administer the oath if necessary.

Johnson, who has said he will swear in Grijalva when the House returns to legislative session, has cited the ongoing shutdown as the reason for keeping the chamber out of session. He has rejected claims that his decision is motivated by the potential political...