House Speaker Mike Johnson is denying Southern Arizona, including part of Yuma County, representation in Congress by delaying the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, Arizona's two U.S. Senators told him on Wednesday.
Sen. Ruben Gallego and Sen. Mark Kelly were taking questions from reporters outside Johnson's office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington when the speaker came out to talk with them.
Sen. Gallego asked Speaker Johnson why he had not sworn in Grijalva, who won election on Sept. 23 in CD7, which includes Somerton, San Luis and part of Yuma.
Johnson told the senators that Congressional Democrats need to reopen the government.
Gallego responded by saying that Johnson was delaying Grijalva's swearing in because she will be the deciding signature on a vote to sign a discharge petition to release the Epstein files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"Stop covering up for the pedophiles," Gallego told Johnson.
Sen. Kelly called on Speaker Johnson to call his fellow Republicans in to have "a serious negotiation."
In a separate action, Rep. Greg Stanton led a group of fellow Democrats on the House floor demanding that Rep.-elect Grijalva be sworn in, Mychael Schnell of MSNBC reported.
Republican Rep. Russ Fulcher of Idaho "gaveled out", meaning that he ended the session, without recognizing Stanton.
"That's un-democratic," Rep. Stanton shouted.
