House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked on Tuesday whether his delay in swearing in Democratic Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won a special election for Arizona's Seventh District two weeks ago, was related to fears over a forced vote on releasing the government’s files on accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

“No, it has nothing to do with that at all,” Johnson said. “We will swear her in when everybody gets back. It's a ceremonial duty. Look, we’ll schedule it, I guess, as soon as she wants. It has nothing to do with it. We’re in pro forma session because there is nothing for the House to do.”

“The House has done its job,” Johnson continued. “People say, ‘Why don't you do more? Let's do more. Now, you should do something.’ We already did something. It was passing a clean CR [continuing resolution].”

Grijalva, who represents a decisive vote on bipartisan discharge petition to force the release of the Epstein files, has publicly demanded Johnson stop stalling and swear her in.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a co-sponsor of the Epstein-related bill, has accused Johnson of “doing everything he can” to block the vote.

At this point, Johnson’s role as speaker seems to have narrowed to one objective: protecting President Donald Trump, no matter what the cost to his party, the economy, or our democracy.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos