Critics are tearing into House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his latest claims about Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), whom he still hasn’t sworn into office more than three weeks after she won a special election in Arizona.
He blamed Democrats for the delay ― and then attacked Grijalva for not doing her job, which she is largely unable to perform because he hasn’t sworn her in yet.
“I am happy and anxious to administer the oath to Rep. Grijalva, and we will do that as soon as we return to legislative session,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday. “We need [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the Democrats in the Senate to do that.”
Johnson adjourned the House last month after passing a funding bill that has since stalled in the Senate, leading to a partial shutdown of the federal government. Democrats are looking for concessions on health care, especially the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
The speaker said he won’t bring the House back into session until Senate Democrats end their holdout ― and he won’t swear in Grijalva until the House returns to session.
