Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) has come out in support of swearing in Representative-elect Adelita S. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) after weeks of being denied her role.
Grijalva was elected to represent Arizona’s 7th Congressional District on Sept. 23, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to swear her in, saying he’d wait until the House is back in session. Johnson previously swore in two Republican House members when the lower chamber was out of session.
Grijalva and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes are now suing the House of Representatives over Johnson’s refusal to seat the new member.
Curtis told C-SPAN it’s time for Johnson to swear her in.
“I want to be careful, I’ve expressed how much I respect Speaker Johnson,” Curtis said. “But the will of the people of Arizona have spoken, right? I think she needs to serve.”
“In my opinion, the will of the people have spoken,” Curtis added. “Let’s get her to work.”
In recent weeks, Democrats have accused Johnson of delaying Grijalva’s swearing in partly because she would be the key 218th vote for a bipartisan petition related to the release of files regarding the late sex-trafficker and longtime friend of President Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein.
In a letter to Johnson earlier this month, Grijalva said he is “robbing” her constituents by not swearing her in.
“The delay in swearing me in is robbing the people of Southern Arizona of essential constituent services,” Grijalva said in the letter. “I am unable to hire staff, open district offices, or respond to constituent concerns.”