November 19, 2025 • 43 mins
Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva became the final signature needed to set in motion the release of the Epstein files. In this conversation, she shares why the seven-week delay before being sworn in felt personal and how she plans to challenge the GOP at a moment of deep national division.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, I'm Corca Ramos and I'm Ramos, and this is
the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that
Trump knew more about Epstein's abuses than he previously acknowledged.
It's pastime for Congress to restore its role as a
check in balance on this administration and fight for we
the American people.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
So that was the newest member of Congress, Adela, who's
not only making history for being the first Ladina ever
to represent the state of Arizona, but also because it
took Speaker Mike Johnson fifty days to swear her into Congress.
And so the question is why did it take Speaker
Johnson over fifty days.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Well, Bola, perhaps because she was the final vote needed
in the House of Representatives to put in motion that
release of the Epstein file.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
So when we come back, we'll be talking to Congresswoman
Alida Ricalva, who is now representing Arizona seventh Congressional District.
We'll talk Epstein files, We'll talk President Trump, We'll talk
about the future of the Democratic Party, but also about
the way in which she is managing the immense grief
she feels after losing her father Congressmanalva and how she's
(01:22):
thinking about building his legacy and filling in those huge
shoes as she's now taking power.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
And not only that, the interview is being done from
those same office where Ralrijalva used to work, so there's
an emotional weight to that. And also we ask her
did he ask her to run? I think the answer
is going to be really interesting, So the literary helbam
(01:48):
when we come back.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Okay, well, Congresswoman Di Halba, thank you so much for
joining us, and welcome to the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Thank you, thank you for having me. It's such an
honor to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Yeah. Many, yeah, many of them.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
So we are very excited to be talking to you
about of course your historic when the significance of this,
what this means for Arizona. But I think before we
get there, we wanted to start with some of the
breaking news because in less than twenty four hours, the
House of Representative will finally be voting to release the
Epstein files, and of course your vote was the key
(02:23):
to making that happen, and so that's where I want
to start.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
What is the importance of that vote?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
You know, so this has been an issue for years
and so much of what this administration promised to do
when they when Trump was running, It's like day one,
I'm going to release these files. And then as soon
as he gets the opportunity to do it, does everything
he can to obstruct that from coming out. So, you know,
(02:49):
Speaker Johnson in the summer, send everyone home a week
early to avoid this vote. So Democrats did what they
had to do. There were four Republicans that joined, and
I'm glad of that. And I find it very interesting
now that Trump is saying, well, yeah, I think everyone
should vote to release.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Them, but it means just tune. What do you think
made that shift.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I think it's remember when when there was an investigation,
so the Biden administration couldn't release information out, but Trump
just requested that certain Democrats be investigated. My concern is
there is a clause in there that if there is
an active investigation, that certain documents will not get out,
(03:31):
and I think sort of counting on that. So I
don't think it's a change of heart. In you know,
the twenty three thousand pages, He's mentioned quite a bit
and spending a lot of time with Epstein, talking about
him spending time with victims and So for me, I
had the opportunity to meet some of the survivors and
(03:52):
also meet with other people who have been trafficked and
abused in that way. And it's so important to be
able to, if at all possible, get justice. And that's
where I was coming from. The other political stuff. You know,
there are implications obviously, but honestly, for those victims, when
you look him in the eye, they want to be
able to move forward, and they can't when their credibility
(04:14):
keeps getting questioned. You know, they can get targeted. So
I want the survivors to have justice finally.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
So so you don't think that actually present Trump's changing,
because he might be saying to Republicans, Okay, you can
vote for that, but then what's going to happen in
the Senate? And I wonder if he really wants to
do this, then can he just talk to the dog
and say, hey, release.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Everything exactly exactly. He could already release them. There is
an active subpoena. He's doing everything he can and so
is Bondy to prevent that information from coming out. All
he has to do is say go ahead and release everything.
But I really, I mean, once he had the opportunity
(04:59):
to look at well the implications for him personally in
those files. I believe that's why he's done everything he
can to avoid it.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
According to some emails written by Epstein and released by
the Democrats, Donald Trump spent time with a victim and
quote knew about the girls. He of course, he has
denied everything. So do you think that the president actually
was a witness to a crime?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I do, I do. I think they are implications of it.
I mean he literally said I can Epstein quoted I
can bring him down. I mean, he obviously had information,
and we won't know the full implications until all of
the files are released, but the initial batches mentioned him
throughout the files, and when Epstein says verbatim of Trump,
(05:50):
I am the one that will be able to take
him down, he must have some information there. And then
there's a lot of private correspondence between Maxwell and Epstein
that speak about Trump.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
So if that's the case, how should Congress proceed? I mean,
is there Do you think there's enough information to investigate
the president or even to impeach Donald Trump.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I think that's one of the reasons why everyone wants
this information out. Aside from the sorry that survivors periodically,
these kids stuck in there.
Speaker 5 (06:23):
That's what we do here the.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Word I think that is important for them to be
able to have finally see some people prosecuted for what
they did to them when they were children. But here,
I don't know. And that's why I think it's so
important for the information to get out.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
We've we said this conversation by talking about the survivors.
We know that you had two of the survivors that
were present during your staring in speech. But I'm actually
curious about the Republicans that were also in that room,
those that are still citing with President Trump, those that
perhaps are still apprehensive about releasing the files. And I'm
(07:01):
just curious about just in these couple of days, like,
how do you think they're sort of reconciling this idea
of hearing the testimonies and hearing these survivors and facing
them while also dealing with the reality that this Republican
party has historically wanted to release these files, and so like,
how do those Republicans navigate that?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think they're having a very hard time. And honestly,
one of the things I learned very early on in
whatever you do, you have your values like those are
what grounds you. That's how you know who you are,
and when somebody is pushing you into a position that
you have to question whether that's something you want to do.
If that's something like would you be proud to tell
(07:44):
your children and grandchildren what you did? I can look
in the mirror and say, yep, I sure am. I'm
very proud. My kids were there, gave me a stand,
you know, they were proud of me. And those Republicans
who are choosing to sort of be silent, I think
are going to have a very hard time because when
history shows this period of time, they're going to be
(08:07):
on the wrong side of it.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Do you think there's this natural solidarity among the Republican women.
Of course we've seen Marjorie Taylor Green and other female
members of Congress that have been very outspoken about this.
But is there this natural solidarity between sort of the
MAGA women.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
I think that when you know, that's one of the
reasons why I thought it was very important to bring
two of the survivors that we're willing to come forward
come forward, because I think it's very different when you
see someone like that's a real person. It's not just
a page in some sort of file like that's a
person who had to live through one of those. I
(08:49):
couldn't even have imagined the horror that they have to
live with every day, knowing the things that happened to them,
and still being questioned, sometimes by women about whether they're
credible or not. So that's why I wanted to bring
them forward. And actually there were some Republicans that stood
up and gave him a standing ovation as well. So
I do believe in this issue. Nobody should be protecting pedophiles.
(09:11):
It's a boring I mean, anybody who's standing there saying, well,
you know the one quote from Megan Kelly who said,
well he liked them young, that's LI said, Oh that's disgusting.
It's disgusting. These are children, children and young women, and
I don't think anybody should be protecting them, and I
won't and I'll call it out anytime I see it.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
So do you think that this issue is paralyzing the
White House and he's actually derailing the Trump presidency?
Speaker 2 (09:41):
I you know, I don't know what Trump is, I
don't know everything that Trump is trying to protect. But
when you get a little I mean, this is just
like the tip of the iceberg and the information that
are included that's included in these Epstein files, and for
him to be mentioned that many times you knew what
(10:02):
was happening, supported what was happening. And now I believe
that we're going to finally be able to have some
proof of that. And I don't know anybody how anyone
could stand in support of this administration and Trump specifically
knowing that if he was not personally involved, he was
(10:24):
protecting pedophilia and a ring that victimized thousands of girls.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I think it's we've spent a lot of time on abstain,
and I think the the real news is that you
have made history. And I think you wanted to toss that
to the Commerce woman's speech, so I'll let you do that.
Because we've been talking about this moment for a very
long time, so I know special.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
If we wanted to go to the ceremony where you
became the first Latin Ibra from Arizona to go to Congress, no,
what a moment. And me, I remember me along with millions,
you know, all the country either online or on TV,
saw you, and in personal I think you you met
the moment. So let's listen and.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Thank you to Lahante Southern Arizona for making history electing
me the first Latina, the first Chicana from Arizona to
ever go to Congress Estemento Estoricoes no nor Cela Primera
Latina and represent Arisona and Congresso.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Primera after nearly two months delayed. What was it like
at that moment to finally take the oath? How are
you feeling?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
I really, it's it's a it's a wide range of emotion.
Because one I was very this esperala, like we want
this to happen already a long time ago, been waiting
a long time. I honestly didn't I didn't try to
project anything like when people say, so, how do you
feel like until it's done, I don't really know, And
still to this point I don't know. I mean, I
(12:12):
remember being up there in the gallery when my dad
was first worn in and such. I mean I remember
seeing it and my mom put the pin on him
and it was so cool. But it was not like this. This.
It was funny because we had somebody come and just
to sort of explain, like where I was going to
be standing and don't be distracted if people are talking
(12:32):
amongst each other, and you know, everyone's going to be
really focused on their own thing and you'll just be speaking,
but pretend you're speaking to somebody not in the room,
because it will just be really noisy and blah blah blah.
You could hear a pin drop in there. And that
was a very different experience than I was prepared for
because the room looks so large, right, and then you
(12:54):
get in there and it's very quiet, and if someone's whispering,
you can hear it. So one of the represent Velaskiz
when he said, and now come to the well, and
you hear finally that was her, like shed right here.
So when you know, there were a couple of people
clapping and whistling and that I heard it all. And
(13:18):
I'm glad that I could be present in that moment
because it's something that I'll never forget. But I'm so
glad that my family was there, and my mom was
there because you know, I'm the mom of three teenagers.
So I was like, okay, kids, it's finally happy, and
they're like, yeah, right, sure, but.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Eddi, that's the that's kind of the scene that played
out right. Obviously, it's this it's this joyous historic moment
that was at the same time overshadowed by a speaker
Johnson that did this incredibly unwarranted delay on your sowaring
and ceremony. And I'm wondering if if you've actually been
able to like confront him about that, like since since
(13:57):
you've been in office.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, so we literally walked out did this speech, and
then this woman was like, Okay, we've got to get
you over here to do the official picture, and I
he was I. When I walked around the corner, he
was talking to Pelosi and she said you should have
sworn her in. You should have sworn her in. And
they're walking and he said, well, you know, as we're walking,
(14:21):
he said, you know, none of this was personal. I said, sure,
to feel pretty personal, you know when you're yeah, I did.
Oh no, like that's part of whether you like me
or not. I'm just going to say. I just say it.
So I said, you know, they felt very personal. And
I said, if you ever actually want to have a
real conversation about what it's like to have the keys
(14:41):
to a door and walk into an office and not
be able to do anything in there, let me know,
because I couldn't do anything, like we can't answer the
phones to do what who I don't have anybody doing
constituent services. We don't have people at the front. I
mean right now, it's we're still not fully staffed because
(15:02):
it's very difficult to hire during a shutdown. But then
to promise people, I promise, I'll pay you some time,
but it's hard to get people to leave their jobs
to come for a big question mark. So that was hard.
And then I understand that I'm only in this position
because my dad passed away, so that I'm like, Okay,
(15:23):
don't cry, don't cry, to talk myself into like, try
not to cry because it's just very difficult.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Yeah, of course, yeah, and it's sale moves you as
we can see.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Oh always, Yeah. I cry every day, Literally every day
I cry. And I think that that's okay. I think
people need to understand that grief is it comes in waves.
And honestly, people talk to me all the time about
oh I loved your dad. I'm like me too, And
if strangers are going to cry to me, well, then
(15:55):
of course I'm going to. I mean, it's natural, and
I think it's good for people to see that, like
you can't just shut it off like I can't. Maybe
some people can, but that's not been my experience. I'm
literally sitting in an office, you know, so I'm sort
of surrounded by just memories here and I have to
make my own but still honor him.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, I think it's very symbolic.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
I remember I was watching the ceremony on CNN and
the anchors were saying, we usually don't do this, I mean,
showing the ceremony no for hundreds of members of Congress.
That doesn't happen. But maybe it was such an important
moment and you were right there. And that's why I
say that you met the moment because it was so
difficult emotionally and politically. And then I mean, I'm always
(16:44):
just checking on that side. But you spoke in Spanish
at a moment when thousands of Latino immigrants are being
persecuted for speaking Spanish, and I wonder if for you
it was a sign of defiance.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
You were saying here in Congress, yoadlita.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Yep, and that was all They're like, you say whatever
you want to say, but at some point you need
to translate it exactly, and then you could totally hear
my my right because I was like, dang it, but
I do that a lot.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
I really love that everything.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, I do and I and I do a lot
of code switching and it's not always proper. But I'm like, well,
that's that's very Chikana.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Did you and your father I was just gonna ask
on that note, did you in congressman speaking English or
in Spanish or what was what was that?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
When little? So, my mom is from New Mexico and
my grandma, her mom was from Wisconsin, so she didn't
speak Spanish. And if you've ever spoken to anyone from
New Mexico, they have a different accent that like my Tata,
my dad's dad would say no, then then is Georgie
my grandpa's name was. Then they're both speaking Spanish to
(18:01):
each other, but you're like, eh, I don't think they
understand each other. So for my for when when I
was little, my dad was very much involved in the
Chicano movement and wanted to make sure that his kids
spoke Spanish. So I didn't speak English until I started
kinder Mi nana took care of me, and my mom
had to learn Spanish to be able to talk to me.
(18:22):
But it was also very important for her. So when
I got to kinder and learned English, I stopped speaking
Spanish because I'd hear it all the time. Actually, I
had a colleague on a board my previous board that
said I can't understand her with that accent, and I
was like, well, get yourself a translator then, because I'm
gonna like it. But I think it's that sort of
(18:43):
acknowledging that there are a lot of people that feel
very much afraid, and I wanted to be able to
as often as possible incorporate some Spanish so they could
hear that, like I'm not here, I'm representing southern Arizona
and I'm going to do my best to represent them.
But if this, if I if me being up here
and speaking Spanish speaks to you, I want to encourage you.
(19:06):
And also it's a good peer pressure for other members
of Congress, like if you speak other languages, throw them
in there, because I think it's important people to hear
us as often as possible.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
So we're going to take a break and when we
come back, we're going to be talking about the shutdown
and the future of the Democratic Party with La Congressist.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
We're back. We have a conversation with Congress woman.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Is stepping into a Democratic party and and uh, a
Congress that obviously just witnessed the longest shut down in
American history. But you're also stepping into a part already
that many say perhaps lost a very important leverage. Right,
some Democrats were, of course, siding with Senate Republicans even
(20:08):
without any guarantees of extensions of the obamacarey tax credit.
And so I'm wondering if you think that was a mistake.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I do, because Speaker Johnson has never committed to having
that same vote. So even if Fune in the Senate,
they have a vote, it doesn't guarantee any outcome. So
I feel like we went through a lot of suffering
as a nation, and federal employees specifically without any kind
of end in sight for when they were going to
(20:36):
get paid. But every single federal employee I talked to
was like, keep fighting for us. We know what you're doing.
This is the worst thing. I want us to reopen
the government, but continue to fight for us. And so
to sort of, you know, not get any real assurances,
and not in the House either, because Speaker Johnson was
(20:58):
asked specifically and he danced around that question has still
not committed to having a vote, and so here we are,
we're going to have to have one another discharge petition
to talk about this extension. That's the frustration. And then
when you have, you know, senators that have built in
like a potential million dollar payday for themselves, how do
(21:19):
you vote for that? How do you vote? I mean,
I just don't understand how you do, especially when the
American people are not gaining anything. They're still going to
We're still going to have rural hospitals that are going
to be threatened if we don't deal with these ACA subsidies,
or families that are not going to be ensured, and
then they're going to go to our emergency rooms, which
which is also an already stressed system. I just don't
(21:43):
know how we move forward without getting these basics. This,
it's a basic fundamental. I believe a right to be
able to take care of yourself and go see a
doctor when you need to.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
And I think also even strategically beyond that right, I
think there was I mean, the Democratic Party did seem
to be having a lot of momentum from of course
the electoral wins that we saw here in New York City,
in Virginia, in California, to I think an American public
that was citing with Democrats when it came to the shutdown.
And then of course President Trump's approval rating which are
(22:18):
abysmal at this point, and so I guess a lot
of people believe that this may be painting the Democratic
Party in a sort of weaker light.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
And what does one do with that?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Well, and then the other is that we just came
off of historic Tuesday where so many Democrats one but
like not just moderate Democrats. We're talking people that were
pushing like a very progressive agenda. And that's what when
you talk to people specifically about this issue, you know,
people always say, well, I'm a moderate or I'm a
(22:51):
liberal or a progressive or whatever. It's like, talk to
me about what your issues are. And when you really
pull those things out, they're all assive values. And so
this brighte about healthcare is so frustrating because Republicans have
been tearing apart the Affordable Care Act since its inception,
(23:12):
and they have had fifteen years to come up with
something better. Fifteen years. I just you know, you have
to point the finger should go like the accusations of,
you know, not working for their American people are squarely
in the Republicans area right now, especially when it comes to.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
This issue, and I think you're touching on I think
what is kind of this key existential question that the
Democratic Party is always having.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Right Like?
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Is the party sort of too far left?
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Is what you hear?
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Or to your point, is the party not doing enough
to embrace these progressive values? And I think you have
a unique perspective as someone that is representing a deep
blue city within a battleground state that is now purple, Like,
what is your take when it comes to that question.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I think that we need to embrace progressive values. I
think we need to talk about renewable energy, We need
to talk about protecting our environment, public education, comprehensive immigration reform.
I mean, these are big issues and nobody's willing to
talk about it. I was just at a gun control panel.
(24:20):
I was like, why is it as a parent? If
my kid takes my car and kills someone, I'm responsible.
But if I'm not a responsible gun owner and leave
my guns out and my kid goes and kills somebody,
I'm not responsible. I Mean, there's just so many areas here,
especially in Congress, where big money plays a big role,
(24:44):
and we have to call it out as often as possible.
Because I didn't take any corporate money. We raised a
lot of money from individual donors, and I think that's
important and we have to I mean, end Citizens United
as a whole, big other conversation. So when we're talking
about the things that people are so appalled by, like politicians,
(25:04):
so much of that is this big money that is
pushing people around. And we need more public servants in
these positions and less politicians that are worried about getting elected.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
So let me ask you about twenty twenty six and
twenty twenty eight. We had in this podcast from Mamdaneld
before he was elected mayor of New York City, and
he was saying something really interesting. He said that for
Democrats to win is not enough just to criticize President Trump.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
That is not enough.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
That there has to be a positive, a positive message,
and I wonder if Democrats have lost that message.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
What's what's the message?
Speaker 2 (25:43):
It's giving hope to people and that's they really that
overwhelmingly as what I heard when I was running for office,
It's what we heard with Mom Donnie it's what we
heard with the governor races in New Jersey, and they
want people to give them hope that it's going to
get better. Part of the frustration with so many people
(26:03):
is that you keep voting and thinking you're voting the
right way, and then people get into those offices and
there's just like a lot of excuses. Well, let's talk
about what the real issues are, and if you actually
want progress on any of these things, you have to
get rid of the extremists that are not willing to talk.
Even like Nimesalulan, like you walk down the hall and
(26:26):
like I'm invisible, right. Yes, it's so weird because that's
not the Congress my dad was in twenty two years ago.
You know, twenty two years ago, you could have a
Republican like my dad would sit right next to them.
They didn't ever agree on one thing, but they talked
about sports, and they talked about grandkids or something else.
(26:47):
That's not the reality here because you have so many
people that have just pledged allegiance to Trump. They don't
really they don't care about the people that they're representing.
And so I'm very encouraged and going to do my
best to go out and do the same thing where
when you have Democratic candidate senators, representatives going out into
(27:10):
deep red areas in their state or across the country
and say I'm going to do a town hall here
because your representative isn't willing to. I think it makes
a big difference. Bernie Sanders is doing it everywhere. I
think we have to do smaller versions of that for
those of us who can't draw as big of a crowd.
But I think it's those face to face conversations about
why what do you really want to see? And so
(27:33):
much of this ideology stuff. It's crazy. I mean I
have never met so, like heard of so many people
that were so obsessed with like what is some under
someone's clothes or who they love? Like why do you care?
How does it affect your life? And this Republican party
(27:53):
they are so obsessed with like getting big government out
unless it's what they want, and then they're gonna tell
us they want to script everything we do.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
And I would even say even some of your Democratic
colleagues I think are at times sort of a freid
to embrace some of these more nuanced quote unquote controversial issues.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Right, they're not that controversial making sure that we can
all breathe and have clean air and water is a
big deal, And especially in an area that like mine,
we're a super fun site. My dad and my Theas
and my nan Atata and everyone around them drank poison
water for like ten years. Every there are cancer clusters
(28:37):
all over a CD seven from mining, from pollution from
pee boss And that's fundamental, Like water is life. If
we don't have it, we don't have life. So and
when you talk about like that's why I'm so passionate
about it. I went to the Santra Fel Valley and
watched this ridiculous wall being put up that is sucking
(28:59):
up millions of gallons of water, destroying habitat, destroying migration opportunities.
People are not crossing. It's animal migration. It's not people
because it's no one is going to cross in this area.
But it is just a ridiculous I just it's so
It frustrates me so much that we can't pay for
(29:21):
food for people, we can't make sure that they can
go see a doctor, but you can spend hundreds of
millions of dollars on a completely useless border wall that
is not going to do anything to solve immigration. It's crazy.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
So you've talked about many different issues and the idea
of hope esperanza. But I wonder if the next big
theme is going to be affordability.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Everybody's going to be running on this.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I think it is because it makes a difference. I mean,
I'm a mom with three kids. I have been out
of work for almost nine months. Things were not easy.
They were not My husband's a librarian, has a master's degree,
has a good job at a community college. But it
was it's I have a daughter in college, a freshman,
I have a junior in high school and a freshman
(30:09):
in high school. It was it was very difficult. If
I didn't have like the family that I have and
the network of support to help me, it would have
been very hard. And so I can only imagine people
that are fully employed, They work forty hours a week,
and their companies, in order to cut costs, don't offer
(30:30):
them healthcare, don't offer them good benefits. How many people
that are working full time qualify for snap benefits. That
is a problem billionaires and their companies. They're getting rich
off the backs of working people. We have to cut
those tax breaks, Like I just there's so many things
(30:51):
that I think we have to really focus on, and
I believe very strongly, especially here, there's a lot of
like Denverse is are, but there are some things that
we should be able to work together if we get
people that are willing to talk to each other, and
if in the midterms we change some of these very
extremist members of Congress to ones that are willing to
(31:16):
roll their sleeves up and actually get to work.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
We have to take a last break and then we'll
come back and now we'll continue our conversation with Congresswoman
and a lad.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
So much of what you're doing now, Congresswoman is of
course your your own principles.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
You're an agenda, your own.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Values, but it's also about sort of building on the
legacy of your father. Obviously, Congressman Ricalva was in the
House of Representative for twenty two years before he passed
away in March, and once you decided to run for office.
I'm wondering how it was for you to mourn his
death while also sort of campaign. What was that experience, Like.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Yeah, I don't want to relive that whenever again. That
was really hard and I think that I knew what
I had to do, and I was gonna get it done.
But there were many times and I'm like, I need
a break, I need to walk away, and I'm going
to come back because I mean, there are people that
have known me my whole life and never seen me
cry ever, and now it's like an almost everyday occurrence
(32:22):
that it's like, here's I mean literally, when we started
this interview, they brought this things are going to happen here,
and you know, I knew. My dad had like told
me it's like, you can always cry later. You can
cry later, you can cry later. And I'm like, like so,
and I always I never wanted to do this. I
never wanted to run for Congress.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
You never thought about it.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
No, I was very happy being on the board of
supervisors I had. You know, my kids, I'm very medida
in their lives, probably too much so, so I'm totally
a hovercraft parent. I'm like the Mariacci mom that drives
them everywhere. Mom was like miss schooled about you know things.
That's I love that and I don't want to miss
those things. And I knew that it would be a
(33:06):
big sacrifice for all of us. But you know, my
youngest Joachin. I asked each one of them, like, so
this is what's happening. If you tell me not to
do what, I'm not going to do it. And so
I said, well, do I have to move to DC.
He's a freshman in high school. And I'm like, no,
you don't have to. You don't have to. I have
(33:27):
to go back and forth. Okay. He goes, well if
you don't do it, who will? And I said, well,
I don't know. He said will they work as hard
as you do? And I'm like I'm going to go
with no. And then he said, well, what that that's
say And I was like, well that was the end.
It's like that that would say you run. And literally
I had his funeral. There were members of Congress that
(33:48):
came up to me and said, your dad said he
was going to stick it out until you were ready,
and I'm like, oh, it just it's too much. So
he I felt like my back was against the wall
and I had to show whether I was going to
fight for it or not. So I'm glad I did
because when we were in the middle of that primary
and I was looking at the other candidates, I was like,
if I wouldn't have run. I would have been so
(34:09):
with myself because minimally, you have to be able to
at least fight for it, and that primary made me fight.
And then then I wanted it because I'm like, Okay,
if these are the options and you're not going to
bring like this legacy of progressive values to Congress to
fight like my dad did, then I have to fight
(34:31):
you for it.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
And during his final days, did he ask you to run?
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (34:37):
He did. She did and I said no, no.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
You said you said no.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
I said no. I was like, no, Dad, no, getto and.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
He like, you never knew that you were going to run?
Speaker 2 (34:50):
No?
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I told him.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I told him at that like at the end, because
he said, he said, I think you're going to do it.
I think you're gonna do it, And I was like,
I don't know, Dad. And then like so his friends
that would come in, like people that have worked with
him a long time, and they're like, take care of Adela.
She's gonna need some help. She's gonna be sad. Was like,
so he knew I was going to do it.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
But I did it well. I was.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
I was surprised because I thought there was a family plan.
Said okay, something to help.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
This is after Yeah, no, I'm the oldest daughter, so
my I always wanted to make sure that his funeral
went exactly the way he wanted it. And he knows
he didn't tell me everything he wanted. This is what happened.
We were we went to his friend's funeral when I
was like twenty two, and his friend was Irish, and
(35:41):
they had like the Catholic ceremony, and then they had
like an Irish wake and they had music and whiskey
and guinness, and people were laughing and telling stories and crying.
He goes, this is what I want. I said, Okay,
So I had to figure out how to give him that.
But still, you know, so I knew that there were
a lot of people that wanted to celebrate his life
(36:02):
with us, and how do I balance those things? And
also he was not pretentious at all. He didn't want
any He didn't care about the pomp and circumstance of
any of it. But I believe me and my sisters
believed he deserved it. So that's why we're like, Okay,
we're not going to do this, but we will do
like the guards coming in with him, Okay, we can
(36:23):
do There are certain little things that we let go
just because I thought it would be He deserved it.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
He deserved it.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
So you are out of his cellf as right now.
He used to see it where you are see? Yes,
the same chair.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
No, I want the chair back. They took it. I
guess what they do. They have to clean everything out
like it's a new person, because you know everything. So
there's there was nothing here. And then they resurfaced the desk,
I think, or gave me a new one. And they
gave me like a new chair. So we are going
down to like where they are. They have all the
(36:58):
supplies and like furniture, Like I want to find the chair.
I want the groove in, I want the whole, I
want the old one.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Yeah, I was gonna ask, this isn't almost the first
time that you're sitting in his chair, right, because you
both of both of you, you and your father got
your start at the governing board of the Tucson Unified
School District. Right, you were the youngest person to serve
on that board and you started for for almost two decades.
Speaker 5 (37:22):
So how are you carrying on that legacy of education?
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Well, I ask for Education and Workforce as a committee.
I think it's really important after Trump has decimated our
Department of Education to have someone who literally still knows
what it means when you cut certain programs and how
it's going to impact the most vulnerable students, and then
someone has to be there to fix it because we're
(37:48):
going to have to rebuild everything. I mean, you put
in someone that has no background in education, just like
he put in someone who's not a doctor. I mean
they're just like, this is the most uncu qualified administration
ever objectively.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
To continue to be a top priority for you, of course.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Oh absolutely. I asked for Natural Resources and Education Workforce,
which was both my dad's committees that he was on.
I think it's running tribal sovereignty is very important, protecting
our environment, and speaking of for those who can don't
feel like they have a voice, it's a it's a
value that I carry.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
So let's just finish with a song.
Speaker 4 (38:28):
I'm sure they'd ask you this song about La la
Delita so many, so many times. For those who are
not familiar with it, it was a revolutionary song. Nineteen
ten Mexico. There was a Norse call apparently Adelita, and
(38:53):
I think she was a feminist. Guerrera a feminist. Is
that why your partent chose your name Adelita? That's a fighter.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Well, I was supposed to be Shirley. I am my
middle neighbor Shirley because my mom's mom was from Wisconsin
and her name was Shurly. I was the first granddaughter
and my mom was getting a lot of pressure and
so I would have been Sureleyba And my dad was like,
come on, most of hes not gonna be able to
pronounced Shirley, like forget. So it was gonna be Mariy
(39:26):
Marie Bell, okay, And the nurse came. I was I
was nameless for like eight days. The nurse came and
looked and said, oh, Mary Bell. And my mom's like, no,
I'll give it back if it got back. And so
my dad was picking us up. I was supposed to
be like I was supposed to be a boy, everyone thought,
so I was going to be a junior and then
I came out and I'm like here. So, so when
(39:49):
my dad was coming to pick up my mom and me,
he was in the car and was listening to the
radio and the song see Adelita came on and he
was like, what about Adriita? And She's like Okay, we'll
do that, so that like as we were rolling out,
they gave her the little form to sign my name,
and that's how it happened. And I do feel like,
you know, it's a Gerretta, it's a fighter. That's how
(40:11):
they raised me to be very outspoken. I do believe
I'm the I'm the son that my dad didn't have.
Like he's like, I didn't need one. I had you
work good, but I'm like one of three girls. You know,
he had all girls, he has two sisters, just literally
surrounded by women until I had my sons. And then
(40:31):
he's like, yes, we have, but.
Speaker 3 (40:35):
I have to ask just because my dad gives me.
I would say, pretty good advice in life. And what
do you think your father would be telling you right now?
Speaker 2 (40:44):
You know he would just say, like you just got
to keep working at it. Are you doing a good job,
don't don't get cocky, do your homework, like just remember
who you're fighting for. And he always said that, Like
you know, my nana would say too, Nasi cis, don't
forget that you forget you don't forget who you are.
And Washington did not change my dad. My dad changed
(41:08):
some things here in Washington, and so I have to
remember that that's a legacy that you keep with you
and just be the same person. And it's been really
I mean, people have been very kind, a lot of hugs,
a lot of strangers that I never would have known otherwise.
And so in a way, Speaker Johnson gave, I had
(41:29):
to look through the silver lining, and the silver lining
in this case is a lot of people know me
and know of what I want to be able to
accomplish here in Washington because I had to wait fifty
days to be able to do my job.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
Thank you so much for talking to us. And now
you know that Mion is dependent staff State service.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
Yes, everyway, Yeah response, it's lista Lisa.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Senata, thank you so much. MC mar Congressista.
Speaker 6 (42:05):
We spoke with Representative Grijalva just hours before the House
voted to release the Epstein files on Tuesday evening. As
we close this episode, the Senate was set to pass
the measure automatically as early as Wednesday morning, and the
White House indicated President Trump would sign it as soon
as it reached his desk.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
The Moment is a production of Radio Moulantes Studios in
partnership with iHeart Michael Dura podcast Network.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
Our Stuff includes Daniela Larcon Laote, Miguel Sano Colon and
Lisa Serda, with help from Paul Alan Dievo Corso, Natalie
Ramirez and Elsa li Liano Joa. The CEO of Radio
Bulante Studios is Carolina Guerrero.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
Executive producers at Ihart are Arlene Santana and Liolmes. Paalo Cabreda,
Dylan Hunger and Mark Canson also serve as producers.
Speaker 4 (42:52):
Sunday sign Final Mix and a theme song by Elias Gonzalez.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
If you like this episode, share the.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Word, recommend the omen to anyone who might enjoy unpacking
all of these complicated times with us.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
And if you like the moment, Prota mien te Ustinos
podcast en Espanol, check out Radio Molante Studios. The show
Radio Mulante, Elilo and Central are really worth listen.
Speaker 1 (43:14):
I'm for her Ramos and I'm Paula Ramas. Thanks for listening.
Well, I'm Corca Ramos and I'm Ramos, and this is
the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Just this morning, House Democrats released more emails showing that
Trump knew more about Epstein's abuses than he previously acknowledged.
It's pastime for Congress to restore its role as a
check in balance on this administration and fight for we
the American people.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
So that was the newest member of Congress, Adela, who's
not only making history for being the first Ladina ever
to represent the state of Arizona, but also because it
took Speaker Mike Johnson fifty days to swear her into Congress.
And so the question is why did it take Speaker
Johnson over fifty days.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Well, Bola, perhaps because she was the final vote needed
in the House of Representatives to put in motion that
release of the Epstein file.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
So when we come back, we'll be talking to Congresswoman
Alida Ricalva, who is now representing Arizona seventh Congressional District.
We'll talk Epstein files, We'll talk President Trump, We'll talk
about the future of the Democratic Party, but also about
the way in which she is managing the immense grief
she feels after losing her father Congressmanalva and how she's
(01:22):
thinking about building his legacy and filling in those huge
shoes as she's now taking power.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
And not only that, the interview is being done from
those same office where Ralrijalva used to work, so there's
an emotional weight to that. And also we ask her
did he ask her to run? I think the answer
is going to be really interesting, So the literary helbam
(01:48):
when we come back.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Okay, well, Congresswoman Di Halba, thank you so much for
joining us, and welcome to the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Thank you, thank you for having me. It's such an
honor to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Yeah. Many, yeah, many of them.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
So we are very excited to be talking to you
about of course your historic when the significance of this,
what this means for Arizona. But I think before we
get there, we wanted to start with some of the
breaking news because in less than twenty four hours, the
House of Representative will finally be voting to release the
Epstein files, and of course your vote was the key
(02:23):
to making that happen, and so that's where I want
to start.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
What is the importance of that vote?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
You know, so this has been an issue for years
and so much of what this administration promised to do
when they when Trump was running, It's like day one,
I'm going to release these files. And then as soon
as he gets the opportunity to do it, does everything
he can to obstruct that from coming out. So, you know,
(02:49):
Speaker Johnson in the summer, send everyone home a week
early to avoid this vote. So Democrats did what they
had to do. There were four Republicans that joined, and
I'm glad of that. And I find it very interesting
now that Trump is saying, well, yeah, I think everyone
should vote to release.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Them, but it means just tune. What do you think
made that shift.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I think it's remember when when there was an investigation,
so the Biden administration couldn't release information out, but Trump
just requested that certain Democrats be investigated. My concern is
there is a clause in there that if there is
an active investigation, that certain documents will not get out,
(03:31):
and I think sort of counting on that. So I
don't think it's a change of heart. In you know,
the twenty three thousand pages, He's mentioned quite a bit
and spending a lot of time with Epstein, talking about
him spending time with victims and So for me, I
had the opportunity to meet some of the survivors and
(03:52):
also meet with other people who have been trafficked and
abused in that way. And it's so important to be
able to, if at all possible, get justice. And that's
where I was coming from. The other political stuff. You know,
there are implications obviously, but honestly, for those victims, when
you look him in the eye, they want to be
able to move forward, and they can't when their credibility
(04:14):
keeps getting questioned. You know, they can get targeted. So
I want the survivors to have justice finally.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
So so you don't think that actually present Trump's changing,
because he might be saying to Republicans, Okay, you can
vote for that, but then what's going to happen in
the Senate? And I wonder if he really wants to
do this, then can he just talk to the dog
and say, hey, release.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Everything exactly exactly. He could already release them. There is
an active subpoena. He's doing everything he can and so
is Bondy to prevent that information from coming out. All
he has to do is say go ahead and release everything.
But I really, I mean, once he had the opportunity
(04:59):
to look at well the implications for him personally in
those files. I believe that's why he's done everything he
can to avoid it.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
According to some emails written by Epstein and released by
the Democrats, Donald Trump spent time with a victim and
quote knew about the girls. He of course, he has
denied everything. So do you think that the president actually
was a witness to a crime?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I do, I do. I think they are implications of it.
I mean he literally said I can Epstein quoted I
can bring him down. I mean, he obviously had information,
and we won't know the full implications until all of
the files are released, but the initial batches mentioned him
throughout the files, and when Epstein says verbatim of Trump,
(05:50):
I am the one that will be able to take
him down, he must have some information there. And then
there's a lot of private correspondence between Maxwell and Epstein
that speak about Trump.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
So if that's the case, how should Congress proceed? I mean,
is there Do you think there's enough information to investigate
the president or even to impeach Donald Trump.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I think that's one of the reasons why everyone wants
this information out. Aside from the sorry that survivors periodically,
these kids stuck in there.
Speaker 5 (06:23):
That's what we do here the.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Word I think that is important for them to be
able to have finally see some people prosecuted for what
they did to them when they were children. But here,
I don't know. And that's why I think it's so
important for the information to get out.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
We've we said this conversation by talking about the survivors.
We know that you had two of the survivors that
were present during your staring in speech. But I'm actually
curious about the Republicans that were also in that room,
those that are still citing with President Trump, those that
perhaps are still apprehensive about releasing the files. And I'm
(07:01):
just curious about just in these couple of days, like,
how do you think they're sort of reconciling this idea
of hearing the testimonies and hearing these survivors and facing
them while also dealing with the reality that this Republican
party has historically wanted to release these files, and so like,
how do those Republicans navigate that?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think they're having a very hard time. And honestly,
one of the things I learned very early on in
whatever you do, you have your values like those are
what grounds you. That's how you know who you are,
and when somebody is pushing you into a position that
you have to question whether that's something you want to do.
If that's something like would you be proud to tell
(07:44):
your children and grandchildren what you did? I can look
in the mirror and say, yep, I sure am. I'm
very proud. My kids were there, gave me a stand,
you know, they were proud of me. And those Republicans
who are choosing to sort of be silent, I think
are going to have a very hard time because when
history shows this period of time, they're going to be
(08:07):
on the wrong side of it.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Do you think there's this natural solidarity among the Republican women.
Of course we've seen Marjorie Taylor Green and other female
members of Congress that have been very outspoken about this.
But is there this natural solidarity between sort of the
MAGA women.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
I think that when you know, that's one of the
reasons why I thought it was very important to bring
two of the survivors that we're willing to come forward
come forward, because I think it's very different when you
see someone like that's a real person. It's not just
a page in some sort of file like that's a
person who had to live through one of those. I
(08:49):
couldn't even have imagined the horror that they have to
live with every day, knowing the things that happened to them,
and still being questioned, sometimes by women about whether they're
credible or not. So that's why I wanted to bring
them forward. And actually there were some Republicans that stood
up and gave him a standing ovation as well. So
I do believe in this issue. Nobody should be protecting pedophiles.
(09:11):
It's a boring I mean, anybody who's standing there saying, well,
you know the one quote from Megan Kelly who said,
well he liked them young, that's LI said, Oh that's disgusting.
It's disgusting. These are children, children and young women, and
I don't think anybody should be protecting them, and I
won't and I'll call it out anytime I see it.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
So do you think that this issue is paralyzing the
White House and he's actually derailing the Trump presidency?
Speaker 2 (09:41):
I you know, I don't know what Trump is, I
don't know everything that Trump is trying to protect. But
when you get a little I mean, this is just
like the tip of the iceberg and the information that
are included that's included in these Epstein files, and for
him to be mentioned that many times you knew what
(10:02):
was happening, supported what was happening. And now I believe
that we're going to finally be able to have some
proof of that. And I don't know anybody how anyone
could stand in support of this administration and Trump specifically
knowing that if he was not personally involved, he was
(10:24):
protecting pedophilia and a ring that victimized thousands of girls.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I think it's we've spent a lot of time on abstain,
and I think the the real news is that you
have made history. And I think you wanted to toss that
to the Commerce woman's speech, so I'll let you do that.
Because we've been talking about this moment for a very
long time, so I know special.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
If we wanted to go to the ceremony where you
became the first Latin Ibra from Arizona to go to Congress, no,
what a moment. And me, I remember me along with millions,
you know, all the country either online or on TV,
saw you, and in personal I think you you met
the moment. So let's listen and.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Thank you to Lahante Southern Arizona for making history electing
me the first Latina, the first Chicana from Arizona to
ever go to Congress Estemento Estoricoes no nor Cela Primera
Latina and represent Arisona and Congresso.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Primera after nearly two months delayed. What was it like
at that moment to finally take the oath? How are
you feeling?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
I really, it's it's a it's a wide range of emotion.
Because one I was very this esperala, like we want
this to happen already a long time ago, been waiting
a long time. I honestly didn't I didn't try to
project anything like when people say, so, how do you
feel like until it's done, I don't really know, And
still to this point I don't know. I mean, I
(12:12):
remember being up there in the gallery when my dad
was first worn in and such. I mean I remember
seeing it and my mom put the pin on him
and it was so cool. But it was not like this. This.
It was funny because we had somebody come and just
to sort of explain, like where I was going to
be standing and don't be distracted if people are talking
(12:32):
amongst each other, and you know, everyone's going to be
really focused on their own thing and you'll just be speaking,
but pretend you're speaking to somebody not in the room,
because it will just be really noisy and blah blah blah.
You could hear a pin drop in there. And that
was a very different experience than I was prepared for
because the room looks so large, right, and then you
(12:54):
get in there and it's very quiet, and if someone's whispering,
you can hear it. So one of the represent Velaskiz
when he said, and now come to the well, and
you hear finally that was her, like shed right here.
So when you know, there were a couple of people
clapping and whistling and that I heard it all. And
(13:18):
I'm glad that I could be present in that moment
because it's something that I'll never forget. But I'm so
glad that my family was there, and my mom was
there because you know, I'm the mom of three teenagers.
So I was like, okay, kids, it's finally happy, and
they're like, yeah, right, sure, but.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Eddi, that's the that's kind of the scene that played
out right. Obviously, it's this it's this joyous historic moment
that was at the same time overshadowed by a speaker
Johnson that did this incredibly unwarranted delay on your sowaring
and ceremony. And I'm wondering if if you've actually been
able to like confront him about that, like since since
(13:57):
you've been in office.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, so we literally walked out did this speech, and
then this woman was like, Okay, we've got to get
you over here to do the official picture, and I
he was I. When I walked around the corner, he
was talking to Pelosi and she said you should have
sworn her in. You should have sworn her in. And
they're walking and he said, well, you know, as we're walking,
(14:21):
he said, you know, none of this was personal. I said, sure,
to feel pretty personal, you know when you're yeah, I did.
Oh no, like that's part of whether you like me
or not. I'm just going to say. I just say it.
So I said, you know, they felt very personal. And
I said, if you ever actually want to have a
real conversation about what it's like to have the keys
(14:41):
to a door and walk into an office and not
be able to do anything in there, let me know,
because I couldn't do anything, like we can't answer the
phones to do what who I don't have anybody doing
constituent services. We don't have people at the front. I
mean right now, it's we're still not fully staffed because
(15:02):
it's very difficult to hire during a shutdown. But then
to promise people, I promise, I'll pay you some time,
but it's hard to get people to leave their jobs
to come for a big question mark. So that was hard.
And then I understand that I'm only in this position
because my dad passed away, so that I'm like, Okay,
(15:23):
don't cry, don't cry, to talk myself into like, try
not to cry because it's just very difficult.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Yeah, of course, yeah, and it's sale moves you as
we can see.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Oh always, Yeah. I cry every day, Literally every day
I cry. And I think that that's okay. I think
people need to understand that grief is it comes in waves.
And honestly, people talk to me all the time about
oh I loved your dad. I'm like me too, And
if strangers are going to cry to me, well, then
(15:55):
of course I'm going to. I mean, it's natural, and
I think it's good for people to see that, like
you can't just shut it off like I can't. Maybe
some people can, but that's not been my experience. I'm
literally sitting in an office, you know, so I'm sort
of surrounded by just memories here and I have to
make my own but still honor him.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, I think it's very symbolic.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
I remember I was watching the ceremony on CNN and
the anchors were saying, we usually don't do this, I mean,
showing the ceremony no for hundreds of members of Congress.
That doesn't happen. But maybe it was such an important
moment and you were right there. And that's why I
say that you met the moment because it was so
difficult emotionally and politically. And then I mean, I'm always
(16:44):
just checking on that side. But you spoke in Spanish
at a moment when thousands of Latino immigrants are being
persecuted for speaking Spanish, and I wonder if for you
it was a sign of defiance.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
You were saying here in Congress, yoadlita.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Yep, and that was all They're like, you say whatever
you want to say, but at some point you need
to translate it exactly, and then you could totally hear
my my right because I was like, dang it, but
I do that a lot.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
I really love that everything.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yeah, I do and I and I do a lot
of code switching and it's not always proper. But I'm like, well,
that's that's very Chikana.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Did you and your father I was just gonna ask
on that note, did you in congressman speaking English or
in Spanish or what was what was that?
Speaker 2 (17:38):
When little? So, my mom is from New Mexico and
my grandma, her mom was from Wisconsin, so she didn't
speak Spanish. And if you've ever spoken to anyone from
New Mexico, they have a different accent that like my Tata,
my dad's dad would say no, then then is Georgie
my grandpa's name was. Then they're both speaking Spanish to
(18:01):
each other, but you're like, eh, I don't think they
understand each other. So for my for when when I
was little, my dad was very much involved in the
Chicano movement and wanted to make sure that his kids
spoke Spanish. So I didn't speak English until I started
kinder Mi nana took care of me, and my mom
had to learn Spanish to be able to talk to me.
(18:22):
But it was also very important for her. So when
I got to kinder and learned English, I stopped speaking
Spanish because I'd hear it all the time. Actually, I
had a colleague on a board my previous board that
said I can't understand her with that accent, and I
was like, well, get yourself a translator then, because I'm
gonna like it. But I think it's that sort of
(18:43):
acknowledging that there are a lot of people that feel
very much afraid, and I wanted to be able to
as often as possible incorporate some Spanish so they could
hear that, like I'm not here, I'm representing southern Arizona
and I'm going to do my best to represent them.
But if this, if I if me being up here
and speaking Spanish speaks to you, I want to encourage you.
(19:06):
And also it's a good peer pressure for other members
of Congress, like if you speak other languages, throw them
in there, because I think it's important people to hear
us as often as possible.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
So we're going to take a break and when we
come back, we're going to be talking about the shutdown
and the future of the Democratic Party with La Congressist.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
We're back. We have a conversation with Congress woman.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Is stepping into a Democratic party and and uh, a
Congress that obviously just witnessed the longest shut down in
American history. But you're also stepping into a part already
that many say perhaps lost a very important leverage. Right,
some Democrats were, of course, siding with Senate Republicans even
(20:08):
without any guarantees of extensions of the obamacarey tax credit.
And so I'm wondering if you think that was a mistake.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I do, because Speaker Johnson has never committed to having
that same vote. So even if Fune in the Senate,
they have a vote, it doesn't guarantee any outcome. So
I feel like we went through a lot of suffering
as a nation, and federal employees specifically without any kind
of end in sight for when they were going to
(20:36):
get paid. But every single federal employee I talked to
was like, keep fighting for us. We know what you're doing.
This is the worst thing. I want us to reopen
the government, but continue to fight for us. And so
to sort of, you know, not get any real assurances,
and not in the House either, because Speaker Johnson was
(20:58):
asked specifically and he danced around that question has still
not committed to having a vote, and so here we are,
we're going to have to have one another discharge petition
to talk about this extension. That's the frustration. And then
when you have, you know, senators that have built in
like a potential million dollar payday for themselves, how do
(21:19):
you vote for that? How do you vote? I mean,
I just don't understand how you do, especially when the
American people are not gaining anything. They're still going to
We're still going to have rural hospitals that are going
to be threatened if we don't deal with these ACA subsidies,
or families that are not going to be ensured, and
then they're going to go to our emergency rooms, which
which is also an already stressed system. I just don't
(21:43):
know how we move forward without getting these basics. This,
it's a basic fundamental. I believe a right to be
able to take care of yourself and go see a
doctor when you need to.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
And I think also even strategically beyond that right, I
think there was I mean, the Democratic Party did seem
to be having a lot of momentum from of course
the electoral wins that we saw here in New York City,
in Virginia, in California, to I think an American public
that was citing with Democrats when it came to the shutdown.
And then of course President Trump's approval rating which are
(22:18):
abysmal at this point, and so I guess a lot
of people believe that this may be painting the Democratic
Party in a sort of weaker light.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
And what does one do with that?
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Well, and then the other is that we just came
off of historic Tuesday where so many Democrats one but
like not just moderate Democrats. We're talking people that were
pushing like a very progressive agenda. And that's what when
you talk to people specifically about this issue, you know,
people always say, well, I'm a moderate or I'm a
(22:51):
liberal or a progressive or whatever. It's like, talk to
me about what your issues are. And when you really
pull those things out, they're all assive values. And so
this brighte about healthcare is so frustrating because Republicans have
been tearing apart the Affordable Care Act since its inception,
(23:12):
and they have had fifteen years to come up with
something better. Fifteen years. I just you know, you have
to point the finger should go like the accusations of,
you know, not working for their American people are squarely
in the Republicans area right now, especially when it comes to.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
This issue, and I think you're touching on I think
what is kind of this key existential question that the
Democratic Party is always having.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Right Like?
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Is the party sort of too far left?
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Is what you hear?
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Or to your point, is the party not doing enough
to embrace these progressive values? And I think you have
a unique perspective as someone that is representing a deep
blue city within a battleground state that is now purple, Like,
what is your take when it comes to that question.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I think that we need to embrace progressive values. I
think we need to talk about renewable energy, We need
to talk about protecting our environment, public education, comprehensive immigration reform.
I mean, these are big issues and nobody's willing to
talk about it. I was just at a gun control panel.
(24:20):
I was like, why is it as a parent? If
my kid takes my car and kills someone, I'm responsible.
But if I'm not a responsible gun owner and leave
my guns out and my kid goes and kills somebody,
I'm not responsible. I Mean, there's just so many areas here,
especially in Congress, where big money plays a big role,
(24:44):
and we have to call it out as often as possible.
Because I didn't take any corporate money. We raised a
lot of money from individual donors, and I think that's
important and we have to I mean, end Citizens United
as a whole, big other conversation. So when we're talking
about the things that people are so appalled by, like politicians,
(25:04):
so much of that is this big money that is
pushing people around. And we need more public servants in
these positions and less politicians that are worried about getting elected.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
So let me ask you about twenty twenty six and
twenty twenty eight. We had in this podcast from Mamdaneld
before he was elected mayor of New York City, and
he was saying something really interesting. He said that for
Democrats to win is not enough just to criticize President Trump.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
That is not enough.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
That there has to be a positive, a positive message,
and I wonder if Democrats have lost that message.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
What's what's the message?
Speaker 2 (25:43):
It's giving hope to people and that's they really that
overwhelmingly as what I heard when I was running for office,
It's what we heard with Mom Donnie it's what we
heard with the governor races in New Jersey, and they
want people to give them hope that it's going to
get better. Part of the frustration with so many people
(26:03):
is that you keep voting and thinking you're voting the
right way, and then people get into those offices and
there's just like a lot of excuses. Well, let's talk
about what the real issues are, and if you actually
want progress on any of these things, you have to
get rid of the extremists that are not willing to talk.
Even like Nimesalulan, like you walk down the hall and
(26:26):
like I'm invisible, right. Yes, it's so weird because that's
not the Congress my dad was in twenty two years ago.
You know, twenty two years ago, you could have a
Republican like my dad would sit right next to them.
They didn't ever agree on one thing, but they talked
about sports, and they talked about grandkids or something else.
(26:47):
That's not the reality here because you have so many
people that have just pledged allegiance to Trump. They don't
really they don't care about the people that they're representing.
And so I'm very encouraged and going to do my
best to go out and do the same thing where
when you have Democratic candidate senators, representatives going out into
(27:10):
deep red areas in their state or across the country
and say I'm going to do a town hall here
because your representative isn't willing to. I think it makes
a big difference. Bernie Sanders is doing it everywhere. I
think we have to do smaller versions of that for
those of us who can't draw as big of a crowd.
But I think it's those face to face conversations about
why what do you really want to see? And so
(27:33):
much of this ideology stuff. It's crazy. I mean I
have never met so, like heard of so many people
that were so obsessed with like what is some under
someone's clothes or who they love? Like why do you care?
How does it affect your life? And this Republican party
(27:53):
they are so obsessed with like getting big government out
unless it's what they want, and then they're gonna tell
us they want to script everything we do.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
And I would even say even some of your Democratic
colleagues I think are at times sort of a freid
to embrace some of these more nuanced quote unquote controversial issues.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
Right, they're not that controversial making sure that we can
all breathe and have clean air and water is a
big deal, And especially in an area that like mine,
we're a super fun site. My dad and my Theas
and my nan Atata and everyone around them drank poison
water for like ten years. Every there are cancer clusters
(28:37):
all over a CD seven from mining, from pollution from
pee boss And that's fundamental, Like water is life. If
we don't have it, we don't have life. So and
when you talk about like that's why I'm so passionate
about it. I went to the Santra Fel Valley and
watched this ridiculous wall being put up that is sucking
(28:59):
up millions of gallons of water, destroying habitat, destroying migration opportunities.
People are not crossing. It's animal migration. It's not people
because it's no one is going to cross in this area.
But it is just a ridiculous I just it's so
It frustrates me so much that we can't pay for
(29:21):
food for people, we can't make sure that they can
go see a doctor, but you can spend hundreds of
millions of dollars on a completely useless border wall that
is not going to do anything to solve immigration. It's crazy.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
So you've talked about many different issues and the idea
of hope esperanza. But I wonder if the next big
theme is going to be affordability.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Everybody's going to be running on this.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I think it is because it makes a difference. I mean,
I'm a mom with three kids. I have been out
of work for almost nine months. Things were not easy.
They were not My husband's a librarian, has a master's degree,
has a good job at a community college. But it
was it's I have a daughter in college, a freshman,
I have a junior in high school and a freshman
(30:09):
in high school. It was it was very difficult. If
I didn't have like the family that I have and
the network of support to help me, it would have
been very hard. And so I can only imagine people
that are fully employed, They work forty hours a week,
and their companies, in order to cut costs, don't offer
(30:30):
them healthcare, don't offer them good benefits. How many people
that are working full time qualify for snap benefits. That
is a problem billionaires and their companies. They're getting rich
off the backs of working people. We have to cut
those tax breaks, Like I just there's so many things
(30:51):
that I think we have to really focus on, and
I believe very strongly, especially here, there's a lot of
like Denverse is are, but there are some things that
we should be able to work together if we get
people that are willing to talk to each other, and
if in the midterms we change some of these very
extremist members of Congress to ones that are willing to
(31:16):
roll their sleeves up and actually get to work.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
We have to take a last break and then we'll
come back and now we'll continue our conversation with Congresswoman
and a lad.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
So much of what you're doing now, Congresswoman is of
course your your own principles.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
You're an agenda, your own.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Values, but it's also about sort of building on the
legacy of your father. Obviously, Congressman Ricalva was in the
House of Representative for twenty two years before he passed
away in March, and once you decided to run for office.
I'm wondering how it was for you to mourn his
death while also sort of campaign. What was that experience, Like.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Yeah, I don't want to relive that whenever again. That
was really hard and I think that I knew what
I had to do, and I was gonna get it done.
But there were many times and I'm like, I need
a break, I need to walk away, and I'm going
to come back because I mean, there are people that
have known me my whole life and never seen me
cry ever, and now it's like an almost everyday occurrence
(32:22):
that it's like, here's I mean literally, when we started
this interview, they brought this things are going to happen here,
and you know, I knew. My dad had like told
me it's like, you can always cry later. You can
cry later, you can cry later. And I'm like, like so,
and I always I never wanted to do this. I
never wanted to run for Congress.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
You never thought about it.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
No, I was very happy being on the board of
supervisors I had. You know, my kids, I'm very medida
in their lives, probably too much so, so I'm totally
a hovercraft parent. I'm like the Mariacci mom that drives
them everywhere. Mom was like miss schooled about you know things.
That's I love that and I don't want to miss
those things. And I knew that it would be a
(33:06):
big sacrifice for all of us. But you know, my
youngest Joachin. I asked each one of them, like, so
this is what's happening. If you tell me not to
do what, I'm not going to do it. And so
I said, well, do I have to move to DC.
He's a freshman in high school. And I'm like, no,
you don't have to. You don't have to. I have
(33:27):
to go back and forth. Okay. He goes, well if
you don't do it, who will? And I said, well,
I don't know. He said will they work as hard
as you do? And I'm like I'm going to go
with no. And then he said, well, what that that's
say And I was like, well that was the end.
It's like that that would say you run. And literally
I had his funeral. There were members of Congress that
(33:48):
came up to me and said, your dad said he
was going to stick it out until you were ready,
and I'm like, oh, it just it's too much. So
he I felt like my back was against the wall
and I had to show whether I was going to
fight for it or not. So I'm glad I did
because when we were in the middle of that primary
and I was looking at the other candidates, I was like,
if I wouldn't have run. I would have been so
(34:09):
with myself because minimally, you have to be able to
at least fight for it, and that primary made me fight.
And then then I wanted it because I'm like, Okay,
if these are the options and you're not going to
bring like this legacy of progressive values to Congress to
fight like my dad did, then I have to fight
(34:31):
you for it.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
And during his final days, did he ask you to run?
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (34:37):
He did. She did and I said no, no.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
You said you said no.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
I said no. I was like, no, Dad, no, getto and.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
He like, you never knew that you were going to run?
Speaker 2 (34:50):
No?
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I told him.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I told him at that like at the end, because
he said, he said, I think you're going to do it.
I think you're gonna do it, And I was like,
I don't know, Dad. And then like so his friends
that would come in, like people that have worked with
him a long time, and they're like, take care of Adela.
She's gonna need some help. She's gonna be sad. Was like,
so he knew I was going to do it.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
But I did it well. I was.
Speaker 4 (35:16):
I was surprised because I thought there was a family plan.
Said okay, something to help.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
This is after Yeah, no, I'm the oldest daughter, so
my I always wanted to make sure that his funeral
went exactly the way he wanted it. And he knows
he didn't tell me everything he wanted. This is what happened.
We were we went to his friend's funeral when I
was like twenty two, and his friend was Irish, and
(35:41):
they had like the Catholic ceremony, and then they had
like an Irish wake and they had music and whiskey
and guinness, and people were laughing and telling stories and crying.
He goes, this is what I want. I said, Okay,
So I had to figure out how to give him that.
But still, you know, so I knew that there were
a lot of people that wanted to celebrate his life
(36:02):
with us, and how do I balance those things? And
also he was not pretentious at all. He didn't want
any He didn't care about the pomp and circumstance of
any of it. But I believe me and my sisters
believed he deserved it. So that's why we're like, Okay,
we're not going to do this, but we will do
like the guards coming in with him, Okay, we can
(36:23):
do There are certain little things that we let go
just because I thought it would be He deserved it.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
He deserved it.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
So you are out of his cellf as right now.
He used to see it where you are see? Yes,
the same chair.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
No, I want the chair back. They took it. I
guess what they do. They have to clean everything out
like it's a new person, because you know everything. So
there's there was nothing here. And then they resurfaced the desk,
I think, or gave me a new one. And they
gave me like a new chair. So we are going
down to like where they are. They have all the
(36:58):
supplies and like furniture, Like I want to find the chair.
I want the groove in, I want the whole, I
want the old one.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Yeah, I was gonna ask, this isn't almost the first
time that you're sitting in his chair, right, because you
both of both of you, you and your father got
your start at the governing board of the Tucson Unified
School District. Right, you were the youngest person to serve
on that board and you started for for almost two decades.
Speaker 5 (37:22):
So how are you carrying on that legacy of education?
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Well, I ask for Education and Workforce as a committee.
I think it's really important after Trump has decimated our
Department of Education to have someone who literally still knows
what it means when you cut certain programs and how
it's going to impact the most vulnerable students, and then
someone has to be there to fix it because we're
(37:48):
going to have to rebuild everything. I mean, you put
in someone that has no background in education, just like
he put in someone who's not a doctor. I mean
they're just like, this is the most uncu qualified administration
ever objectively.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
To continue to be a top priority for you, of course.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Oh absolutely. I asked for Natural Resources and Education Workforce,
which was both my dad's committees that he was on.
I think it's running tribal sovereignty is very important, protecting
our environment, and speaking of for those who can don't
feel like they have a voice, it's a it's a
value that I carry.
Speaker 1 (38:25):
So let's just finish with a song.
Speaker 4 (38:28):
I'm sure they'd ask you this song about La la
Delita so many, so many times. For those who are
not familiar with it, it was a revolutionary song. Nineteen
ten Mexico. There was a Norse call apparently Adelita, and
(38:53):
I think she was a feminist. Guerrera a feminist. Is
that why your partent chose your name Adelita? That's a fighter.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Well, I was supposed to be Shirley. I am my
middle neighbor Shirley because my mom's mom was from Wisconsin
and her name was Shurly. I was the first granddaughter
and my mom was getting a lot of pressure and
so I would have been Sureleyba And my dad was like,
come on, most of hes not gonna be able to
pronounced Shirley, like forget. So it was gonna be Mariy
(39:26):
Marie Bell, okay, And the nurse came. I was I
was nameless for like eight days. The nurse came and
looked and said, oh, Mary Bell. And my mom's like, no,
I'll give it back if it got back. And so
my dad was picking us up. I was supposed to
be like I was supposed to be a boy, everyone thought,
so I was going to be a junior and then
I came out and I'm like here. So, so when
(39:49):
my dad was coming to pick up my mom and me,
he was in the car and was listening to the
radio and the song see Adelita came on and he
was like, what about Adriita? And She's like Okay, we'll
do that, so that like as we were rolling out,
they gave her the little form to sign my name,
and that's how it happened. And I do feel like,
you know, it's a Gerretta, it's a fighter. That's how
(40:11):
they raised me to be very outspoken. I do believe
I'm the I'm the son that my dad didn't have.
Like he's like, I didn't need one. I had you
work good, but I'm like one of three girls. You know,
he had all girls, he has two sisters, just literally
surrounded by women until I had my sons. And then
(40:31):
he's like, yes, we have, but.
Speaker 3 (40:35):
I have to ask just because my dad gives me.
I would say, pretty good advice in life. And what
do you think your father would be telling you right now?
Speaker 2 (40:44):
You know he would just say, like you just got
to keep working at it. Are you doing a good job,
don't don't get cocky, do your homework, like just remember
who you're fighting for. And he always said that, Like
you know, my nana would say too, Nasi cis, don't
forget that you forget you don't forget who you are.
And Washington did not change my dad. My dad changed
(41:08):
some things here in Washington, and so I have to
remember that that's a legacy that you keep with you
and just be the same person. And it's been really
I mean, people have been very kind, a lot of hugs,
a lot of strangers that I never would have known otherwise.
And so in a way, Speaker Johnson gave, I had
(41:29):
to look through the silver lining, and the silver lining
in this case is a lot of people know me
and know of what I want to be able to
accomplish here in Washington because I had to wait fifty
days to be able to do my job.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
Thank you so much for talking to us. And now
you know that Mion is dependent staff State service.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
Yes, everyway, Yeah response, it's lista Lisa.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Senata, thank you so much. MC mar Congressista.
Speaker 6 (42:05):
We spoke with Representative Grijalva just hours before the House
voted to release the Epstein files on Tuesday evening. As
we close this episode, the Senate was set to pass
the measure automatically as early as Wednesday morning, and the
White House indicated President Trump would sign it as soon
as it reached his desk.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
The Moment is a production of Radio Moulantes Studios in
partnership with iHeart Michael Dura podcast Network.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
Our Stuff includes Daniela Larcon Laote, Miguel Sano Colon and
Lisa Serda, with help from Paul Alan Dievo Corso, Natalie
Ramirez and Elsa li Liano Joa. The CEO of Radio
Bulante Studios is Carolina Guerrero.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
Executive producers at Ihart are Arlene Santana and Liolmes. Paalo Cabreda,
Dylan Hunger and Mark Canson also serve as producers.
Speaker 4 (42:52):
Sunday sign Final Mix and a theme song by Elias Gonzalez.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
If you like this episode, share the.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Word, recommend the omen to anyone who might enjoy unpacking
all of these complicated times with us.
Speaker 4 (43:04):
And if you like the moment, Prota mien te Ustinos
podcast en Espanol, check out Radio Molante Studios. The show
Radio Mulante, Elilo and Central are really worth listen.
Speaker 1 (43:14):
I'm for her Ramos and I'm Paula Ramas. Thanks for listening.
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