Speaker Mike Johnson protecting pedophiles

Last week in a special election to fill the seat of deceased Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), his daughter, Pima County supervisory board member Adelita Grijalva beat Republican Daniel Butierez in a 2 to 1 landslide, becoming the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress. Normally, newly-elected members are sworn in immediately, however, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) demanded the certificate of ascertainment (the official document declaring the winner) before swearing Grijalva in. This isn't necesary in an obviously uncontested election, but Johnson did have the right to ask for it.

Now that the certificate has been filed, Johnson's newest excuse is that he can't swear Grijalva in until the House is in regular session on Oct. 7. There is no rule requiring this, and in April, Johnson swore in two Republicans from Florida in a pro-forma session. The House has been holding pro-forma sessions every few days, but apparently Johnson's memory is faulty.

The only reason for this is that Johnson doesn't want Grijalva to cast the 218th vote for the discharge petition to bring the Epstein file release to a vote, and is hoping that the delay in swearing in Grijalva will result in one of the Republicans currently supporting the petition to change their mind.

The bigger question is why no Democrats, but nearly all Republicans, don't want the files released. This isn't a "both sides bad" issue; it's a partisan one. What are Johnson and the other Republicans hiding?

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5529055-republicans-grijalva-swearing-in-house/

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swirlie · 31-35

The Republicans are not hiding, the Republican Party no longer exists in principle in America, Leo. The Democrats are a non-functioning, albeit still existent Political Party in principle.

LeopoldBloom · M

@swirlie The Republican party has become little more than a rubber stamp for the administration. I don't think this will continue after Trump is gone, however. Everyone says they love JD Vance but he's really just a cipher at this point. They only like him because Trump picked him for VP. Once he actually has to campaign against people like Kemp, Youngkin, Abbott, and other professionals, it's over.

Part of the Democrats' fecklessness has to do with our two-party, winner take all system, where the minority party has almost no power. That's why we're having a government shutdown - it's the only way the Democrats can try to obstruct the Republicans.

swirlie · 31-35

@LeopoldBloom
That's a good way of putting it, Leo.

JD Vance, not unlike Charlie Kirk's wife, will not be able to carry the torches on their own and using their own personality as the talking head in either situation , meaning that neither one of them will carry on the Party business as usual on their own as if being the official replacements for Trump and Charlie Kirk.

Charlie's cult-following will simply dissolve into thin air and so will Donald Trump's cult-following dissolve into nothingness.