Trump Cover Up of His Dark Past takes New Twist with AG Lawsuit

Summary

Legal AF by MeidasTouch

Episode: Trump Cover Up of His Dark Past takes New Twist with AG Lawsuit

Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Michael Popok (with references to co-hosts Ben Meiselas & Karen Friedman Agnifilo)

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Overview

In this episode, Michael Popok delivers a deep dive into an unfolding legal-political controversy: Arizona’s Attorney General, Kris Mayes, threatens legal action against Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for refusing to swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva. Popok contextualizes the political power play, connects the legal implications to the broader landscape of Trump-era coverups, and spotlights the high-stakes battle over the Epstein files—a fight with consequences for transparency and government accountability.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Swearing-In Stand-Off

[00:30 – 01:52]

• Arizona AG Kris Mayes is challenging Speaker Johnson for stalling the swearing-in of Adelita Grijalva, recently elected to represent Arizona’s 7th Congressional District (~813,000 constituents).
• Mike Johnson claims the House is in “shutdown,” using the pro forma session as an excuse to delay, despite certifying Grijalva’s election.
• Popok: “What’s warping the decision making? It’s not the shutdown... It’s because she... will proudly be the final signature on the discharge petition... to release the Epstein files.” ([01:14])

2. The Discharge Petition and Epstein Files

[01:52 – 03:36]

• The discharge petition, backed by Democrats and Republican Thomas Massie, would force a House vote to require release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files.
• Grijalva's vote is crucial; she is poised to be the decisive 218th signatory needed for the petition to succeed.
• History of similar situations: Republicans Jimmy Petronas and Randy Fine were both sworn in during pro forma sessions, undermining Johnson's rationale.

3. Legal Response: Writ of Mandamus

[03:36 – 04:54]

• Kris Mayes lays out a case based on constitutional representation rights and historical precedent:
  • “A member of the House of Representatives holds the only proportional and directly elected position in the federal government.” ([04:07])
  • Failure to seat Grijalva “will prompt legal action,” specifically a writ of mandamus—a court order compelling the Speaker’s legally required ministerial act.

4. Exposing the Hypocrisy: The Jim Jordan Interview

[05:56 – 07:56]

• Clip of Rep. Jim Jordan, pressed by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins:
  • Jordan claims it’s just tradition: “Normally it’s done in front of the full House… that’s how I’ve been here 19 years.”
  • Collins interjects: “But a couple of months ago, he sworn Jimmy Petronas and Randy Fine in a pro forma session.” ([07:13])
  • Jordan deflects, seemingly caught unaware.

Notable Quote

• Kaitlan Collins: “But a couple months ago, he sworn Jimmy Petronas and Randy Fine in a pro forma session.” ([07:13])
• Jim Jordan: “I actually didn’t even know that when they were sworn in.” ([07:19])

5. The Stakes: Political Leverage and Representation

[09:19 – 10:50]

• Popok calls out Speaker Johnson’s ever-shifting explanations as “absurd” and “unsatisfactory.”
• Mayes’ letter alleged direct evidence the swearing-in is being “used as a bargaining chip” in the broader government shutdown and budget negotiations:
  • “Arizona’s right to a full delegation… are not up for debate. We thus demand that Ms. Grijalva be immediately sworn into office.” ([09:50])
• Grijalva actively lobbying for her seat, “marching on Mike Johnson’s office.”

6. Explaining the Mandamus Suit

[10:50 – 12:30]

• Popok details mechanics of the possible lawsuit:
  • A straightforward “writ of mandamus” would compel Johnson to perform a ministerial duty.
  • Such lawsuits are typically won when an official refuses a legally mandated, non-discretionary act.

Notable Quote

• Popok: “There’s no excuses around it. And that’s what the lawsuit will say...” ([11:40])

7. Implications for Obamacare and Healthcare

[12:30 – 13:30]

• The episode connects the power dispute to a larger fight over healthcare (specifically, maintaining ACA coverage).
• “We’re talking about 30 and 40 million Americans who will lose healthcare and lose Obamacare as a cover… and you die early.” ([12:50])

8. The Trump-Epstein Coverup Connection

[13:30 – 14:25]

• Popok expects the suit to set the stage for a House vote on the Epstein files.
  • “When a person refuses to produce documents like Donald Trump has… you are allowed to make an inference, an adverse inference, that what’s in those files is bad.” ([14:00])
• Suggestion: there’s likely damning Trump-Epstein evidence being concealed.

Memorable Explanation

• “That’s how it would work in a court of law... And that’s what we should assume as American voters, that things are really bad and awful for Donald Trump in those files.” ([14:23])

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Michael Popok ([01:14]):
  “What’s warping the decision making?... It’s because she... will proudly be the final signature on the discharge petition... to release the Epstein files.”

• Chris Mayes (via Popok, quoting letter) ([04:07]):
  “A member of the House of Representatives holds the only proportional and directly elected position in the federal government.”

• Kaitlan Collins and Jim Jordan ([07:13 – 07:19]):
  Collins: “But a couple months ago, he sworn Jimmy Petronas and Randy Fine in a pro forma session.”
  Jordan: “I actually didn’t even know that when they were sworn in.”

• Chris Mayes (via letter, via Popok) ([09:50]):
  “Arizona’s right to a full delegation… are not up for debate. We thus demand that Ms. Grijalva be immediately sworn into office.”

• Michael Popok ([11:40]):
  “There’s no excuses around it. And that’s what the lawsuit will say...”

• Michael Popok ([14:00]):
  “When a person refuses to produce documents like Donald Trump has… you are allowed to make an inference, an adverse inference, that what’s in those files is bad.”

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Important Timestamps

• 00:30–01:52: Setting the context: Chris Mayes’ challenge to Speaker Johnson.
• 01:52–03:36: Political motives, the discharge petition, and Epstein files.
• 05:56–07:56: Jim Jordan pressed on the swearing-in stall.
• 09:19–10:50: Letter from AG Mayes; implications for representation.
• 10:50–12:30: How a writ of mandamus works.
• 13:30–14:25: Trump-Epstein files and the legal doctrine of adverse inference.

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Tone & Style

The podcast maintains a direct, no-nonsense analysis:

• Popok is incisive, sometimes incredulous at political double standards, and focused on constitutional/legal principles.
• The episode blends legal expertise with pointed political commentary, calling out hypocrisy while explaining procedural law for laypeople.

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Summary

This Legal AF episode unpacks a high-stakes congressional power struggle with direct legal implications.
Host Michael Popok methodically lays out AG Kris Mayes’ threatened lawsuit against Speaker Mike Johnson for blocking the swearing-in of Adelita Grijalva—a move widely understood as a MAGA ploy to protect Trump and stonewall the public release of the Epstein files. By outlining both the legal basis for action (writ of mandamus) and the broader stakes (representation, healthcare, government transparency), the episode shows how political maneuvering is colliding with bedrock democratic principles. Popok’s legal analysis and the featured Jim Jordan interview drive home the hypocrisy behind procedural stalling, while memorable quotes and clear examples (from House tradition to what’s really at stake in the Epstein files) make the episode a must-listen for anyone following law, politics, and accountability in the Trump era.

Transcript

[Mayra Amit]

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[Mochi Member / Interviewee]

Join Sadie is a Mochi member compensated for her story.

[Michael Popak]

Chris Mays, the Arizona attorney general who.

[Narrator / Advertiser Voice]

Indicted a number of Donald Trump's inner.

[Michael Popak]

Circle following the 2020 election. She's back and she's threatening to sue speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Maga Mike Johnson because he refuses to swear in Representative Adelita Grahalva. She was elected to the her father.

[Narrator / Advertiser Voice]

Her late father's seat, 70% in a special election.

[Michael Popak]

She represents 813,000 people in the congressional district number seven in Arizona. And she can't get sworn in because Mike Johnson claims, well, we're in a shutdown, trying to put pressure on the Democrats to have leverage during budget negotiations, obviously. And because of the Epstein scandal. What's Epstein have to do about this? And what type of lawsuit would the attorney general of Arizona be able to bring in order to force Mike Johnson's hand to swear in Representative Grijalva? And we demand that now as well here on the Midas Dutch network and legal af. Let's, let's get to it. I'm Michael Popo. Chris Mays, amazing. She was the secretary of state and now attorney general for Arizona. She has the power now that the states have the state has completed its canvassing on the special election and delivered a certificate from the governor to the speaker of the House certifying Adelita Grijalva has been elected to her father's seat. And now it's time for the swearing in. What's warping the decision making? It's not the shutdown, although I think they're trying to get a little bit of leverage on the shutdown. It's because she, Representative Grijalva has said aloud that she will proudly be the final signature on the discharge petition that's been circulated by Ro Khanna, a Democrat, and Tom and Tom Massie, a Republican. And there the discharge petition would take out of a committee where it's been blocked by the Republicans, a House resolution to that to the House floor to compel the Department of Justice and the Trump administration and all those others to release the Epstein files. They needed 218 votes. She's the 218th vote. We already had another special election. See, special elections matter where the Democrat was the 217th vote. Now nobody's buying. And I have the letter here that was sent by Chris Maze to Representative Johnson just yesterday. It's up on Legal a F sub stack for you to read. I'll talk about the mandamus petition that she would file to get Representative Grahalva sworn in. And that's what this is all about. It's about. It's about leverage. Trying to exert pressure on the Democrats to extract something from them in the budget negotiations around the shutdown. Well, you like Representative Grahalva. You know, she may not be around much longer if we don't swear her in. But and sets dangerous precedent for the future. Four or five others have been sworn in during what's called the pro forma sessions. Pro forma sessions are being held right now to keep the lights on in Congress with the bare minimum of activity so that the President doesn't have a recess to start making crazy appointments. Even MAGA Congress doesn't want that to happen. So they keep the lights on with these pro formas. And you hear Speaker Johnson say, no, no, I'll swear in any. It's just that we're shut down. He's sworn in other people during pro forma sessions. He's sworn in. He's sworn in two other representatives from Florida, particularly when they were in pro forma session. So all of these ever changing shape shifting positions of Mike Johnson isn't going over well. Let me read to you from the letter from Chris Mays, Attorney General of Arizona, in which she cites. To our founding fathers, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, on behalf of the state of Arizona, I demand that the Honorable Adelita Grijalva be sworn into office as the representative of Arizona's 7th congressional district, representing 813,000 people that have no representation right now. Failing to see Ms. Grijala immediately or to otherwise provide a reasonable explanation as to when she will be seated will prompt legal action. That would be a writ of mandamus. We'll talk about that in a minute. The House of Representatives uniquely Democratic function makes frustrating the will of the voters in selecting the Representative particularly egregious. A member of the House of Representatives holds the only proportional and directly elected position in the federal government. Citing to the Federalist Papers number 52 and 58, 65, 66 and 81, she goes on. It reminds the speaker of the House that Jimmy Petronas was elected to the Florida's 1st district. Randy Fine was elected to Florida's 6th district. They're Republicans. They were sworn in during pro forma sessions. In fact, let me take a break from the letter for a minute. Jim Jordan was interviewed by Kaitlan Collins and got wrapped around his own axle about why she's not being sworn in. They can't even get their story straight because it's a lie. Let's play Kaitlan Collins vs. Jim Jordan of House Republicans.

[Jim Jordan]

You're here on Capitol Hill tonight. A lot of your colleagues are not because you're not in session. And Speaker Johnson has said he's not bringing y' all back until there's an agreement to reopen the government. Is it clear to you why Speaker Johnson has not sworn in the new member, Adelito Grijalva, yet?

[Mochi Member / Interviewee]

Because we're not in sessions typically done while we're all there. It's a special thing the individual gives. The new member gives a speech in front of Congress, sworn in by the speaker of the House, introduced by, you know, colleagues from their delegation. That's how I've been here 19 years. It's always been done that way. So that's nothing out of the, out of the ordinary. The reason we're not here is because we've, we've done our work. We passed the bill that funds the government again at the levels Chuck Schumer agreed to, and now he won't support it because he's. Again, this debate is, Chuck Schumer can pick common sense or he can pick the left, and it's aoc. Right now he's picking the left in AOC after he picked common sense six months ago, plain and simple. And I think the American people understand that.

[Jim Jordan]

So you're saying because it's a pro forma session, that's why?

[Mochi Member / Interviewee]

Yeah, because there's like, there's two people on the floor or, you know, whatever there's. But normally it's done in front of the full House. That new member in a special election gets, I think, in some ways, a kind of a neat experience where they get to talk to the House their first day getting sworn in. And that's happened every single time that I can recall with any new member elected in a special, in a, in the middle of a congressional session.

[Jim Jordan]

But a couple months ago, he sworn Jimmy Petronas and Randy Fine in a pro forma session.

[Mochi Member / Interviewee]

I actually didn't even know that when they were sworn in. But I always remember when it happens, the delegation's up front and that person is sworn in.

[Jim Jordan]

Do you think it has anything to do with the discharge petition that she could be the 218th signature for the Jeffrey Fitness?

[Mochi Member / Interviewee]

I think it's to make the clear point. We have voted to fund the government at levels all the Democrats support it and they now won't support it because they're bringing up an issue that frankly was not even part of the campaign last year. Wasn't even. I don't remember anyone saying, oh my goodness, we got to deal with the enhanced premium tax credit in Obamacare. And if we don't, it wasn't even part of the campaign last year.

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[Michael Popak]

And as always, please enjoy responsibly, you and your staff. According to this letter from Chris Mays, as a prerequisite to filing the lawsuit, you and your staff have provided ever shifting unsatisfactory and sometimes absurd stories as to why Ms. Grahava has not been sworn in. In a particularly worrisome comment, an aid connected with the swearing in and admission and an admission made an admission to the ongoing budget fight, suggesting that the House is trying to use Arizona's constitutional right to representation in the House as a bargaining chip. You know, when you make threats like, well, if Chuck Schumer would just reopen the government, you know, we'd be able to swear in, that sounds like you got to, you know, you got a deal to make, if you will. Arizona's right to a full delegation and the right of the residents of, of Congressional District 7 to representation from the person they recently voted for are not up for debate. We thus demand that Ms. Grahalva be immediately sworn into office and admitted to her rightful seat. Should you fail such assurances, we will be forced to seek judicial relief to protect Arizona and the residents of the 7th congressional district. Representative Electrojalva has even taken to the hallways of Congress, marching on Mike Johnson's office. Let's show that clip. Now, what's going to happen in the courts here at the intersection of law and politics? Chris Mays, who's not shy about going to court, not shy about prosecuting people in Donald Trump's personal life, files what we call a complaint for mandamus or writ of mandamus. A mandamus is to get an official, an elected official or some sort of other officer, force them to do their job, their statutory job. He's got a job to do. It's to swear in on a Bible or not on a Bible. Representative Grahova. That's it. It's a ministerial act. There's no other function that they have to do. They can do it while the lights are on for the pro forma sessions. There's no excuses around it. And that's what the lawsuit will say, that he should be compelled to hold a session immediately and swear her in to take her rightful seat representing 813,000 people of the 7th congressional district in Arizona. That's it. It's relatively straightforward case. You file it in federal court. You can file it in Arizona, although I would file it in Washington. Makes, it. Makes. It makes it harder for Mike Johnson to argue there's no jurisdiction over him. You get a good federal judge, you get an order of mandamus. You do an order to show cause or a preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order or an emergency application, and you get all this done. I don't know when this shutdown is going to. Going to end. Could go 30 days. Democrats are rightly playing hardball in order to win concessions from the Republicans to open the government around healthcare, not health care for illegal immigrants and pedophiles, health care for everyday Americans. We're talking about 30 and 40 million Americans who will lose healthcare and lose Obamacare as a cover. And we'll just be a nation where there's the literally the haves and the have nots. You either have health insurance because you're employer gives it to you, or you can afford it, or you go to emergency rooms as a last resort and you die early. Infant mortality rates go up, mortality rates go up. People die early from preventable illnesses and conditions and diseases. And that's the world that people apparently have voted for when they voted for Donald Trump. I just don't think they voted for that. So we'll continue to follow Arizona's Attorney General, Chris Mays and her threat turned into a lawsuit against speaker of the House to get Representative Grahalva sworn in. Swear Grijalva in now. Then she'll be the 218th signature on the discharge petition and it'll go to a House vote about the release of the Epstein scandal. Cover up files. I'll leave you on this in my neck of the woods and in court, when a person refuses to produce documents like Donald Trump has refused and ordered his people not to produce documents related to Epstein, you were allowed to make an inference, an adverse inference, that what's in those files is bad for the party that's withholding the documents. That's what you would be told in court as a member of the jury. And that's what we should assume as American voters, that things are really bad and awful for Donald Trump in those files. I don't know what's in those files. Photos of Donald Trump with young girls, disgusting emails back and forth between Donald Trump and Epstein, financial relationships tied to girls and that island. We have to make those inferences because Donald Trump has not produced the documents. That's how it would work in a court of law. That's how it works here on Midas Touch and Legal af. So till my next report, come on over to Legal AF substack, help us there. You can become a paid member, get some amazing content, including this Arizona letter that I just read from and Legal AF, the YouTube channel. So until my next report, I'm Michael Popak.

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[Michael Popak]

Me neither.

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[Michael Popak]

Legal AOFF are there as well.

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