House Delays Epstein Vote, Prioritizes Which Members Get Sworn In
Adelita Grijalva's swearing-in was stalled for weeks, forcing her to miss votes after winning a special election in Arizona (AP News, November 12, 2025). The AP quotes Speaker Johnson, who allegedly couldn't seat her during a shutdown. Conveniently, this delay happened to coincide with Grijalva's stated intention to sign a petition to release the Epstein files. One might wonder if the government
shutdown was simply a well-timed excuse to prevent a new voice from asking inconvenient questions. Instead of the immediate seating typically afforded to new members, Grijalva, a Democrat, found herself sidelined. This wasn't about House rules; it was about preventing a vote that powerful people clearly don't want. The public interest in the Epstein files (and the politicians implicated) seems to
rank significantly lower than the House's ability to create procedural hurdles when it suits them. Welcome to Washington, Congresswoman—where transparency is a bargaining chip.