The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is currently in recess. all month— all because House Speaker Mike Johnson won't release government records on accused trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The last time the House of Representatives voted September 19when the Republicans passed the pro-life resolution fanatical right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, and the party's short-term government funding bill, which was not discussed with Democrats. The government shut down less than two weeks later, on Oct. 1, after the Senate failed to pass a partisan funding bill for House Republicans.
However, instead of returning the House to negotiations with Democrats to reopen the government, much less passing individual appropriations bills fund the government for more than a few weeksJohnson won't let Dom into town.
And all this because the return of the House of Representatives will require Johnson Democratic-Republican-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona swears inwhich is expected to become last signature on a petition to force the House to vote on release government files on Epstein.
Trump, apparently doesn't want the files to be released. And so Johnson worked overtime to prevent the vote.
Grijalva had insisted on taking the oath since her victory on September 23, but was refused by Johnson.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote letter Johnson on Thursday demanding that Grijalva be sworn in.
“Her election was officially certified by the State of Arizona. In fact, it was never questioned. Yet, for more than three weeks, House Republicans denied the residents of Arizona's 7th District their rightful representation in Congress. The continued refusal to appoint Elected Representative Adelita Grijalva for partisan advantage undermines the integrity of this institution,” Jeffries wrote.
But Johnson still won't do it, saying it has nothing to do with the Epstein files. Instead, he says he will do so when the government reopens and the House returns to session.
“I hope to swear her in on the first day we return to the legislative session. I want and really want to do this. In the meantime, instead of making TikTok videos, she should serve her constituents,” Johnson. said Monday at a news conference on Capitol Hill, although Grijalva can't to serve her constituents until she is officially sworn in.
Johnson's new excuse for why he won't swear in Grijalva is that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn't swear in the duo of special election winners during a recess while she was in office.
“Pat Ryan, Joe Sempolinski. They were elected during the August holidays. So, 21 days later, when the House returned to the regular legislative session, they were sworn in. will take the oath of office,” Johnson said Sunday on ABC's “This Week.”
Of course, the break Johnson was talking about was long planned for August. The House's current month-long recess is entirely Johnson's decision, and he continues to extend it even though Congress clearly has work to do.
Democrats are criticizing Johnson for his cowardly move to keep the House in recess to avoid having to vote on the release of the Epstein files.
“Republicans refuse to swear in an elected member of Congress. Why? They're hiding Epstein's files,” Democrat Jason Crow of Colorado. wrote in a message on X.
And even Republicans are beginning to criticize Johnson.
“The House must get going,” far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. wrote Monday in a post on X. “We must complete appropriations. Our committees must work. We must pass bills that will make President Trump's executive orders permanent. I do not respect the decision to refuse to work.”
“I don't agree with [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer's decision to shut down the government. But I also disagree with Speaker Johnson's decision to adjourn the House of Representatives. That’s why I came back to Washington,” said Rep. Kevin Kiely, R-Calif. wrote in a message on X.
Ultimately, the House of Representatives was already in session only 20 days since July 3, when Johnson rushed House Republicans back to the Capitol to get past Trump's tax scam it cut taxes for the rich while cutting Medicaid and food assistance for the poor.
Johnson could take back the House and get it to do real work. But he won't, and it appears it's all because of the Epstein files – no matter how many times Johnson denies it.
