Dem Arizona Congresswoman-Elect Adelita Grijalva will officially be sworn in within days, prior to whenever the House convenes to vote on government funding, Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman reports, of course mentioning that this will finally put the Epstein files discharge petition at 218 signatures.
Since New Jersey Congresswoman and Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill is has yet to resign, once Grijalva is notched the petition is past the point of no return and the vote cannot be avoided, only delayed. Assuming that every Republican who refused to sign also votes no – unlikely but not impossible – and all members are present, there will be a liminal window after Sherrill resigns in which there would be only 217 yes votes. If Johnson can corral 218 no votes, that would be the time.
Otherwise the petition passes and then let’s just not talk about what Senate Dems would or could try to do with it given certain raw feelings toward that chamber’s blue caucus right now.