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Hello,
Nearly 40 days have passed since Arizona’s 7th District voters elected Adelita Grijalva to Congress. and Speaker Mike Johnson still refuses to swear her in. At this point, this is no longer bureaucratic delay or a matter of scheduling; it’s a deliberate denial of representation to hundreds of thousands of Arizonans. Our country is no stranger to political obstruction and gridlock. When Mitch McConnell blocked Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination for eight months, it was a cynical abuse of power. Cabinet and judicial nominees were slow-walked under both Trump and Biden's administrations, with some confirmations taking hundreds of days. While these fights were purely partisan, they were kept within the confines of government officials appointed by the executive branch, not from the people themselves. Mike Johnson’s refusal to confirm Adelita Grijalva is entirely different. She was not appointed — she was chosen by her constituents in a fair and free election. Her power does not come from the President or the Speaker, it stems from the voters of Arizona. Any attempt to block her from taking office sends a message that the will of one man, Mike Johnson, outweighs the will of over 800,000 Arizonans. Our democracy rests on a simple, sacred principle: all power derives from the will of the people. When a Speaker decides who can and cannot speak for the people, he reverses that principle and claims sovereignty for himself. Republicans have repeatedly claimed the delay as a matter of procedure, but that excuse is wearing thin. After 40 days, our right to vote is being challenged. This is an attack on the very foundation of our democracy. Today it’s Adelita Grijalva; tomorrow it could be your representative, your community, your vote. Blocking an elected member from taking the oath of office is not playing partisan hardball. It is the quiet normalization of authoritarian power. Mike Johnson and President Trump are no longer just flirting with authoritarianism. The people of Arizona have already spoken, and their voices must be heard on the House floor. Johnson’s duty is not to his party, but to our Constitution and the American people. Every day he delays, he betrays both. Speaker Johnson must call a pro-forma session and swear-in Representative Grijalva without any further delay. The American people are watching. We won’t stand for this. Daniel Weiss
Executive Director, Voting Rights Fund
Take Action: Stand with us in calling on Speaker Johnson to swear in Rep. Grijalva immediately. Sign our petition to take action today →
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