In a bold legal move, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes initiated a lawsuit against House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday, escalating a contentious dispute over the seating of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva. The lawsuit, lodged in federal court in Washington, D.C., urges the court to either compel Johnson to administer the oath of office to Grijalva or permit her to be sworn in by an alternative official.

Mayes's legal action underscores a significant clash over constitutional rights, with the Attorney General stating, "Constitutional rights cannot be used as a bargaining chip," in the court filings. This litigation follows a stern warning issued by Mayes last week through a formal letter to Johnson, threatening legal repercussions should the Speaker fail to seat Grijalva promptly.

The controversy took root following Grijalva’s victory in a special election on September 23 to fill the vacancy left by her late father, Raúl Grijalva, in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District. Her attempted induction into the House has been stalled by Johnson, who adjourned the House on September 19 during a budgetary standoff and has since resisted reconvening the chamber.

Grijalva, a Democrat, has publicly criticized Johnson, suggesting that her delayed swearing-in is due to her commitment to support legislation demanding the release of files concerning the investigation into notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Johnson, on his part, has deferred her induction, stating it would occur once the Senate acts to reopen the government. He also took a swipe at Grijalva for her social media activity, accusing her of focusing on "TikTok videos" rather than her constituents during a recent press conference.

From her side, Grijalva expressed the challenges her district faces due to the absence of official representation and resources. "There is so much that cannot be done until I'm sworn in,” she articulated during a joint press conference with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, emphasizing the urgency of her role in addressing the needs of Arizona residents.

As the legal proceedings commence, the outcome of this lawsuit could set a significant precedent regarding the procedural and constitutional obligations of Congressional leaders in seating duly elected officials. The office of House Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

*Contributions to this report were made by Aaron Pellish.*