Press Release Virginia
ICYMI
ICYMI: AG Mayes Threatens Legal Action Against Mike Johnson for Failing to Seat Adelita Grijalva
Yesterday, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, threatening to take legal action against him for failing to seat Arizona Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva. In the letter, AG Mayes made it clear that Johnson is violating the Constitution by unnecessarily delaying Grijalva’s swearing-in ceremony.
In September, Grijalva won the special election for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District and became the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress. Reproductive Freedom for All Arizona members proudly worked to mobilize voters to secure Grijalva’s victory.
Statement from Attorney General Mayes:Â
“It’s way past time for Mike Johnson to stop the political games and seat Adelita without delay. Today, my office is sending a letter to Speaker Johnson demanding he do so. We are keeping every option open to us, including litigation, to hold him accountable and make sure that Adelita is able to begin her work as Arizona’s newest member of Congress.”
“Arizona’s right to a full delegation, and the right of the residents of CD 7 to representation from the person they recently voted for, are not up for debate and may not be delayed or used as leverage in negotiations about unrelated legislation,” Mayes, who is also a Democrat, wrote in the letter.
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In the letter, Mayes said that amounted to “trying to use Arizona’s constitutional right to representation in the House as a bargaining chip.”
Democrats have accused Johnson and Republicans of stalling to prevent Grijalva from being the final signatory needed on an effort to force a vote on legislation related to releasing files about the investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mayes said her office was keeping “every option open to us, including litigation,” to hold Johnson accountable and ensure Grijalva was sworn in promptly.
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For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.