Mike Johnson ripped for 'offensive' and 'patronizing' remark by newly elected lawmaker

Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) ripped House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Wednesday night for failing to swear her in during a pro forma session, even though he previously swore in two Republican members under similar circumstances.

Grijalva won the special election to replace her late father, Raúl Grijalva, in Arizona's deep-blue 7th Congressional District in September. Arizona's Secretary of State recently certified her election, but Johnson has not yet conducted a formal swearing-in ceremony for Grijalva.

Some experts suspect the delay is due to Grijalva's support for a bipartisan discharge petition that would force the White House to release the Epstein files, which President Donald Trump has tried to avoid doing for several months. The bill needs 218 votes to pass, and there are currently 217 signatories.

During an interview on Fox News, Johnson made a few remarks that Grijalva found "offensive."

"Bless her heart," Johnson said. "She's a Representative-elect. She doesn't know how things work around here."

Grijalva responded to Johnson's statement on CNN's "OutFront."

"How offensive and howpatronizing," Grijalva told Burnett. "Really? Ido know that two members ofCongress were sworn in on a proforma session. We've had severalsince I've been elected. Andyesterday my race was certified. So, that's how things work.Your job as Speaker is to swearpeople in, whether youpolitically align with them ornot, whether they're going tosign a discharge petition thatyou want out or not. Yourjob is to swear me in."