Mike Johnson Hit From All Sides Over ‘Crazy’ Ploy to Block Epstein Files
"The House Speaker faces backlash from both parties after reportedly seeking to stall the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents."
House Speaker Mike Johnson (a Republican from Louisiana) is facing fierce criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. He is accused of deliberately delaying the swearing-in of a Democratic congresswoman from Arizona in order to obstruct the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
“We all hope that President Johnson will come to his senses and get to work, that he will swear me in so that we don’t have to seek judicial approval to carry out his duties. But the situation remains unchanged,” Adeleta Grijalva, elected on September 23 but not yet sworn into office, told MSNBC on Saturday.
This delay is not merely an administrative formality. Ms. Grijalva and others say Mr. Johnson is holding her back to block the passage of a bail petition that would compel the Justice Department to release records related to Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The petition has garnered 217 signatures to date, just one shy of the number needed for a House vote, and Ms. Grijalva has pledged to sign it.
Republicans are also critical of Johnson. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) recently told CNN that Grijalva “should have been sworn in,” highlighting the growing frustration between the two parties. Grijalva was clear: “If I were a Republican, I would have been sworn in already—I think everyone knows that. And a lot of Republicans have said, ‘This is ridiculous, you should have been sworn in a long time ago.’” “
Johnson says he will swear Grijalva in once government services reopen. But the House of Representatives held several pro forma sessions during the government shutdown, which Grijalva says would have been enough for her to be sworn in.
“There were more than 10 pro forma sessions in the House, and I could easily have been sworn in,” she said. “President Johnson put himself in a difficult position by saying he wouldn’t swear me in until government services reopened, and now I’m stuck in this situation he created.”
Grigalva has filed a lawsuit to force Johnson to comply with the court order, and a judge has been assigned to hear the case. The proceedings are expected to be expedited as early as next week. However, she doubts Johnson will comply, even if compelled to do so by the court.
“I think he’ll stick to his guns,” she said. “But let’s face it, this administration doesn’t care about court decisions or the rule of law; it makes its own decisions, that’s how it operates, and it’s deeply frustrating.”
As the controversy surrounding the Epstein files continues, Johnson is facing increasing pressure from both sides. The question is: will he back down or, on the contrary, escalate what many are calling a reckless maneuver?
