Adelita Grijalva sworn in after 7-week delay, delivers 218th signature to force Epstein files vote

On Nov. 12, 2025, Speaker Mike Johnson administered the oath of office to Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), ending a seven-week delay caused by special-election certification disputes. Within hours of taking her seat, Grijalva became the 218th member to sign the Epstein Files Transparency Act discharge petition, triggering the constitutional threshold that forces a floor vote even if leadership opposes it. The petition seeks to release sealed court documents from Jeffrey Epstein cases that may name powerful figures, and Grijalva's signature broke the stalemate that had kept the measure bottled up in committee.