Democratic lawmakers, led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., stormed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office on Tuesday night, demanding that Johnson swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva. The incident, which was captured on video, shows Jayapal and other members of Congress, including Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Nanette Barragan, entering the speaker’s office and interacting with a Capitol Hill police officer.
The footage from various angles, shared by media outlets like Fox News, depicts Jayapal and Stansbury messing with the sign in front of the speaker’s office and getting into an altercation with one of the officers. Jayapal, who is known for her progressive views, was joined by Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., as they marched on Johnson’s office with members of their staff. Capitol Hill police officers blocked the lawmakers from entering the speaker’s office, citing security concerns.
Grijalva, who won her special election on September 23, has not yet been sworn into office. Her vote would be the final one needed for the House to approve a discharge petition relating to the Epstein files. The petition, which is currently one vote short of passing, calls on the GOP-controlled House to vote to urge the Justice Department to release the files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Johnson, R-La., reacted to the incident on Wednesday, brushing off the action as merely a ‘political stunt.’
Johnson’s comments highlighted the growing tensions between the Democratic and Republican factions in Congress. He accused Democrats of showing ‘disdain for law enforcement,’ as he has done for years regarding recent incidents involving ICE officers. The situation escalated further with a screaming match between Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., on the same day, as government shutdown chaos continued. This confrontation, which was also captured on video, added to the perception of the political gridlock in the wake of a potential government shutdown.
The episode has sparked a debate among lawmakers about the appropriate use of protest and the line between political activism and lawbreaking. While some Democrats defended the actions as a necessary form of political expression, others criticized the conduct as a violation of Capitol rules and an undermining of the legislative process. The events underscore the deepening polarization in Congress and the high stakes surrounding the Epstein petition, which has become a flashpoint in the ongoing battle for control over the House agenda.