- Adelita Grijalva will be sworn in Wednesday after a seven-week delay, finally gaining her House seat and voting rights.
- Her signature will likely provide the 218th vote on a discharge petition to force release of DOJ Jeffrey Epstein files.
- Delay sparked accusations that Speaker Mike Johnson obstructed transparency, fueling bipartisan pressure and public outrage.
It’s been a long, frustrating wait for Adelita Grijalva—and for anyone who’s been pushing for full transparency on one of the biggest scandals in modern American history.
After seven grueling weeks since her landslide special election victory in Arizona, the Democrat is finally getting her moment: House Speaker Mike Johnson has confirmed she’ll be sworn in on Wednesday, just before the House tackles a crucial funding bill to end the government shutdown.
This isn’t just about filling a vacant seat in Arizona’s 7th District, left open after the death of her father, longtime Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
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No, this swearing-in could be the spark that forces the release of thousands of pages of unreleased Department of Justice files on Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex trafficker whose web of powerful connections has haunted politics for years.
Grijalva, 55, didn’t mince words about the ordeal. “Johnson’s obstruction has gone far beyond petty partisan politics – it’s an unlawful breach of our Constitution and the democratic process,” she said in a statement that captured the raw anger felt by her supporters and constituents.
She’s “really upset” that her first vote will be on a government funding measure that, in her view, “does nothing for affordable health care for the American people.”
But let’s be real—the spotlight isn’t on healthcare right now. It’s on Epstein.
The Petition That’s One Signature Away
At the heart of this drama is a discharge petition led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
It’s sitting at 217 signatures, needing just one more to hit the magic number: 218.
That would bypass leadership and force a full House vote on legislation demanding the DOJ hand over every last document related to Epstein’s crimes.
Grijalva has been crystal clear: She’s signing it the moment she can.
“I will sign the discharge petition as soon as I can because that was a promise and commitment that I made,” she told CNN.
Once she does—and assuming no one backs out—that petition triggers a floor vote. No more stalling.
The support isn’t purely partisan. Most signers are Democrats, but a handful of GOP rebels have jumped on board: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace.
These firebrands have joined Massie in defying party lines, even as President Donald Trump—who was once Epstein’s friend—has urged everyone to move on, insisting there’s “nothing more to the case than what is already public.”
Massie has faced backlash from Trump for leading this charge, but he’s held firm, holding press conferences with Epstein victims and pushing for accountability.
Why the Delay? Accusations Fly
Johnson insists the holdup had nothing to do with Epstein.
He called the idea “another red herring” and a “total distraction” on Stephen A. Smith’s podcast, pointing to an ongoing House Oversight Committee probe as reason enough to call the petition “a moot point.”
But Democrats aren’t buying it.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark fired off a scathing letter on Monday: “Any delay in swearing in Representative-elect Grijalva unnecessarily deprives her constituents of representation and calls into question if the motive behind the delay is to further avoid the release of the Epstein files.”
She highlighted how two Republicans—Reps. Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis—got sworn in almost immediately after their special elections earlier this year.
The accusations got even hotter. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego called it outright: “Speaker Johnson is protecting pedophiles. That’s what this is all about.”
And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t hold back either, slamming Republicans for running what he called a “pedophile protection program.”
The shutdown gave Johnson cover—he kept the House out of session, delaying any swearing-in. But critics point out this is unprecedented.
Grijalva won on September 23 by a massive margin, yet here we are, nearly two months later.
Arizona’s attorney general even sued to force the issue, and victims’ advocates marched on Capitol Hill.
What’s Next—and Why It Matters
If the House passes Massie’s bill (co-sponsored with Democrat Ro Khanna), it heads to the Senate. That’s a tougher hill, but a House vote alone would force every lawmaker on record: Do they side with victims demanding justice, or with those wanting the files buried?
Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, officially ruled a suicide.
But questions linger—about his plea deals, his island, his “client list,” and the powerful men (and women) who flew on his plane or visited his properties.
The Trump administration released some files earlier this year, but critics say most were already public, leaving thousands redacted or hidden.
Grijalva’s swearing-in tomorrow could change everything. As one X user put it: “This will provide the 218th and final signature NEEDED for the Epstein discharge petition.”
Another warned of potential drama: “Expect some MAJOR fucking shenanigans by MAGA Mike Johnson.”
Will the files finally see daylight? Or will last-minute pullouts—like rumors of Nancy Mace backing out—derail it?
One thing’s clear: This isn’t fading away.
Victims deserve answers and tomorrow might just deliver the push we’ve all been waiting for.
Stay tuned—things are about to get interesting on Capitol Hill.
Also Read: A DOJ Whistleblower Now Makes Revelation That Undermines the Judicial System’s Integrity
