Speaker Johnson said he'd swear in new House Democrat 'as soon as she wants.' Now Republicans are backtracking

[Dulcinea]

(CNN) Speaker Mike Johnson is not planning to allow Democrats’ newest congresswoman-elect to be sworn-in until her party agrees to end the government shutdown, despite telling CNN earlier Tuesday that he would swear her in “as soon as she wants.”

“We will swear in Rep.-Elect [Adelita] Grijalva as soon as the House returns to session when Chuck Schumer, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego decide to open up the government,” a leadership aide said Tuesday.

The move amounts to an extraordinary power play to deny a sitting member a seat.

While the leadership aide contended “it’s a customary practice in the House to swear in members when the chamber is in legislative session,” Johnson swore in Florida GOP Reps. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine during a pro forma session earlier this year.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/politics/johnson-adelita-grijalva-swearing-in

[no_hypocrisy]

1. First, words are cheap.

Second, Rep.-Elect [Adelita] Grijalva is NOT a bargaining chip.

Third, hypocrisy. Johnson swore in Florida GOP Reps. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine during a pro forma session earlier this year.

[maxsolomon]

21. IOKIYAR

Remember this fundamental rule: It's OK If You're A Republican. Their situational reasoning doesn't require consistency.

[Montauk6]

22. And the all-encompassing "NO FAIR REMEMBERING AT LEAST 10 MINUTES AGO"

[maxsolomon]

23. The basic attitude is try and stop us.

Just like denying Obama a SCOTUS pick. Dems couldn't force Repukes to do the right thing, and our weak ass Constitution relies on those in power acting in good faith.

The GOP ran over good faith with a locomotive.

[Montauk6]

24. And this so-called "Purple Revolution"...

That locomotive had SOME MAGAts falling off and because they got muddied up they want us to forget how they fired up that train to begin with.

If that makes any sense, I sometimes experience self-bog, forgive me.

[Skittles]

2. it's not how this shit is supposed to work

alas, we seem to be saying that about EVERYTHING, every fucking DAY

[SunSeeker]

3. What Johnson is doing is unconstitutional.

As Grijalva’s fellow Arizona Democrat, Rep. Greg Stanton, told Johnson in a Sept. 30 letter, Johnson’s blocking of Grijalva’s swearing-in is “depriving more than 800,000 Arizonans of their rightful voice in Congress,” which Stanton said is “a direct violation of both the Constitution’s guarantee of representation and the House’s duty to respect the will of the voters.”

Also, in Powell v. McCormack (1969) 395 U.S. 486, the Supreme Court ruled that the House cannot refuse to seat a member-elect who meets constitutional requirements and whose election is certified. The official certified results from Grijalva's election will be available October 14. https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/rep-elect-adelita-grijalva-not-yet-sworn-in-amid-government-shutdown

If Johnson does not certify her after October 14, she should sue Johnson to compel her swearing in, citing Powell v. McCormack .

[Botany]

4. "What Johnson is doing is unconstitutional." Grindr Mike doesn't care.

However having free and fair elections* is provided for under the U.S. Constitution but these shits
are totally lawless people who see their #1 job is to support America’s Fascist State and protect its
Dictator, Donald J. Trump.

Hell, they are sending the U.S. Military and ICE agents into cities to stop people from using their
1st Amendment protected right to free speech as America’s is murdering people by blowing up
boats in international waters.

BTW nice post.

* https://thiswillhold.substack.com/p/she-won-they-didnt-just-change-the

[BComplex]

12. I don't understand why Arizona can't certify her election sooner

Is there some Arizona constitutional reason that there is such a delay?

[SCantiGOP]

16. Only the US House Speaker can swear in a new member

N/T

[SunSeeker]

19. The Arizona Secretary of State is a Democrat, so I'm pretty sure if he could certify her sooner he would.

[The Wizard]

5. He's a pathological liar

and it's about time the media hold Johnson and the Republican cartel to task for their bad habit.

[Javaman]

6. the house will never go back into session...

at least not in a reasonable time.

either the orange asshole drops dead or something else extraordinary happens around the only reasons they will convene again.

as long as they are out, the Epstein files won't be released, and that above all is what is controlling everything.

[wolfie001]

7. Grindr Mike

Bootlicking for the tRUMP administration. Nothing shocking, just expected.

[Paladin]

8. Little Mike's just trying to please his true Lord and Savior: donald fucking trump. (nt)

[Trueblue Texan]

9. They should get someone else to swear her in. nt

[Historic NY]

13. Well we have 3 SCOTUS who can

I tired of hearing about the complaining just do it.

[Maraya1969]

28. I didn't know that. Maybe it is something we all need to make phone calls about

[DFW]

10. Fine. SHe wants. Now.

Is your word good, or is it as phony as your Grecian Formula 16 hair dye?

[Historic NY]

11. She can get a SCOTUS to swear her in

WTF not do that instead of making a big production of not being sworn . Do it live on the TV. Mike Johnson would shit

[Grins]

14. From the same people who changed the rules for Merrick Garland...

Democrats follow the rules and norms.

"Law n' Order" Republicans just do it anyhow.

[Dulcinea]

18. "Law & Order" is a TV show to the Repubs. nt

[jgmiller]

15. This is exactly what they are going to do in January 2027 when they lose the house

They don't need to fix the election or try to stop the election. They will simply say "There was massive fraud in CA, NY, IL, etc and we can't swear in these people until we investigate." They are proving over and over again it's much easier to ignore the law with a bad excuse than to go to the trouble of rigging elections or declaring martial law.

[BattleRow]

20. Deny and delay...

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. Do your fucking job Johnson

Have they found his grinder profile yet?

[SpankMe]

25. Why does swearing in matter?

I just looked it up - Rep Grijalva's election was certified by the AZ SoS last year. She's the duly elected rep.

The Dems should frame the swearing in as a mere ceremonial formality and start including her in the daily routine.

I imagine Johnson can hold her back from being put in the computers for the vote-tabulating machines, email and other logistics. Maybe he can even deny her office space or a physical seat in the chamber or credentials for accessing the Capitol building itself until she's sworn in.

But, Dems should be assholes about it and administratively insert Grijalva into any process they can.

If Repubs were in this position, they'd jut bypass swearing in and carry on as normal. We should do the same to the greatest extent possible.

[C_U_L8R]

26. It was a dumb stunt that gained them nothing.

Last edited Wed Oct 8, 2025, 06:50 PM - Edit history (1)

All they seem to have are dumb stunts.

[keroro gunsou]

27. personally

i think all they are is an array of dumb cunning stunts. but what do i know

[calimary]

29. Can't stop wankin' around.

[moniss]

30. It should be made clear to the GQP leadership

in both chambers that unless she is sworn in immediately that when we regain control we will make it take as long as nearly an entire Congressional term for swearing in their people.