Democrat Arizona Congresswoman-elect Adelaida Grijalva has officially taken her oath of office and begun her duties. She won a special election on September 23rd to represent Arizona's 7th congressional district, which includes parts of Tucson. Grijalva was sworn in after members of the House of Representatives returned to the Capitol to discuss a plan to reopen the federal government following a record-length shutdown. In her interview, she stated that the delay in her swearing-in was linked to her support for efforts to unsealed Jeffrey Epstein's documents. Grijalva fulfilled her campaign promise by signing a petition calling for a vote on the matter. This move was prompted by new questions about potential ties between President Donald Trump and the convicted millionaire, which arose after Democrats released three emails. The dispute over the swearing-in delay prompted Democrats to accuse House Speaker Mike Johnson of stalling to postpone the vote. Johnson, in turn, denied the accusations. He had previously stated he would swear in Grijalva as soon as circumstances allowed, but later said he would do so only after the government reopened. Grijalva also noted that during the delay, she had no staff, no working phone, and no government computer.
