TELL THE U.S. HOUSE: Over 40 days ago, Democrat Adelita Grijalva won her House election. But Speaker Johnson is still refusing to swear her in—setting a record for the longest delay on seating a special election winner in the House. Grijalva pledged to be the final vote needed to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files, and Johnson wants to block the vote. Sign the petition: Don't let Trump and Johnson hide — force a vote on releasing the Epstein files!

Speaker Johnson’s refusal to swear in newly elected Democrat Adelita Grijalva just set a record — it’s the longest any special election winner in modern history has waited to be seated in the House.1

Grijalva pledged to be the majority-clinching 218th signature on the discharge petition to force a vote on making the government’s information on Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes public.2 By blocking Grijalva for over 40 days, Johnson continues to delay a vote on releasing the Epstein files.

Trump and Speaker Johnson have spent months dodging a vote on releasing the Epstein files. This affront to democracy, justice, and public transparency must end NOW!

Sign the petition: End Trump’s cover-up! Swear in Grijalva now and force a vote on the Epstein files.

We know Trump’s FBI redacted "numerous references" to Trump in the Epstein files.3 But it gets much worse.

Rep. Jamie Raskin accused Trump’s DOJ of abruptly shutting down an ongoing investigation into Epstein’s co-conspirators. "I write to demand an explanation for why DOJ has abandoned the women and girls abused by Mr. Epstein, Ms. Maxwell, and their co-conspirators, fired or cut off career prosecutors from the case, and ceased its investigation into one of the largest sex trafficking rings in history," read Rep. Raskin’s letter to Pam Bondi.4

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego accused Johnson of wanting to “cover up for pedophiles on the Epstein list.”5

Johnson waited less than a day to swear in two Republicans who won their special elections earlier this year.6 Now, he’s desperate to keep a Democrat out of the House, violating the Constitution to keep Trump’s cover-up going.

We must ensure our lawmakers hold Johnson and Trump accountable to the public — they must swear-in Grijalva now and force a vote on releasing the Epstein files!

Sign the petition: Urge your U.S. Representative to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files!

Thanks for taking action,

Joey and the Demand Progress team

Sources:

  1. USA Today, “Adelita Grijalva sets record for swearing-in delay,” November 5, 2025.
  2. ABC News, “Speaker Johnson continues to resist swearing in Democratic Rep.-elect Grijalva,” Ocotber 20, 2025.
  3. Bloomberg, “FBI Redacted Trump’s Name in Epstein Files for Privacy Reasons,” August 8, 2025.
  4. CBS News, “House Democrats press DOJ for details on Epstein co-conspirators probe that was 'inexplicably killed',” November 4, 2025.
  5. Politico, “Speaker clashes with Dem senators over Epstein files amid shutdown,” October 8, 2025.
  6. The Los Angeles Times, “She won a landslide election. But Trump and Jeffrey Epstein have her stuck in limbo,” October 12, 2025.

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