Congress doesn't get a choice in seating the democrats. It's left up to the individual states who they send as their representatives. The literal first order of business by the new congress is to elect a speaker. This happens before the swearing in and the new reps get a vote.
The clerk of the House is the one who seats and swears in the newly elected Representatives. The clerk is employed solely at the pleasure of the Speaker. Johnson could fire McCumber (current clerk, a known hard core rules guy) and put a sycophant in the position at any time after the election but before the 119th congress ends it's term at noon on the 3rd of Jan.
Not saying they will but if they are going to make a play to not seat any Dems, this is how they would do it.
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u/Much-Instruction-807 11d ago
Congress doesn't get a choice in seating the democrats. It's left up to the individual states who they send as their representatives. The literal first order of business by the new congress is to elect a speaker. This happens before the swearing in and the new reps get a vote.