Mike Johnson Gets Fact Check Over Rep He Refuses To Swear In

Critics are tearing into Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his newest claims about Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), whom he nonetheless hasn’t sworn in to workplace greater than three weeks after she received a particular election in Arizona.

He blamed Democrats for the delay ― after which attacked Grijalva for not doing her job, which she is essentially unable to carry out as a result of he hasn’t sworn her in but.

“I’m pleased and anxious to manage the oath to Rep. Grijalva, and we are going to do this as quickly as we return to legislative session,” he instructed CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday. “We’d like [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats within the Senate to try this.”

Johnson adjourned the Home final month after passing a funding invoice that has since stalled within the Senate, resulting in a partial shutdown of the federal authorities. Democrats are on the lookout for concessions on well being care, particularly the extension of Reasonably priced Care Act subsidies set to run out on the finish of the 12 months.

The speaker stated he received’t convey the Home again into session till Senate Democrats finish their holdout ― and he received’t swear in Grijalva till the Home returns to session.

The Home has been holding temporary “professional forma” periods, and Johnson has used these periods to swear in new members a number of occasions this 12 months.

However he received’t do it for Grijalva.

Johnson additionally claimed he was following a precedent set by former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who as soon as delayed swearing in a brand new member for greater than three weeks in 2021.

Johnson didn’t point out that it was due largely to COVID-related protocols in place on the time.

Then, Johnson scolded Grijalva for not “working.”

“She ought to be working for her constituents,” he instructed Tapper. “She ought to be in her workplace. She ought to be working, or within the district for her constituents.”

Grijalva earlier within the day shared a video displaying her new workplace ― however a lot of the gear inside, together with the computer systems, doesn’t work as a result of she hasn’t been sworn in but and subsequently doesn’t have entry:

Many observers say there’s one more reason Johnson is stalling: Grijalva, as soon as sworn in, could be the ultimate signature wanted on a discharge petition to pressure a vote to compel the Justice Division to launch a trove of recordsdata associated to late convicted intercourse predator Jeffrey Epstein.

President Donald Trump and people round him repeatedly vowed to launch these recordsdata throughout final 12 months’s marketing campaign.

Now that he’s in workplace, Trump ― who was as soon as shut buddies with Epstein ― has referred to as it a “Democrat hoax.”

Critics on social media referred to as out Johnson: