TURMOIL IN THE TENNESSEE HOUSE

Biden blasts 'shocking and undemocratic' Tennessee House of Representatives for vote to expel one of three Democratic lawmakers for joining gun protest demonstrators last week and save a second - as the final member of the trio awaits decision on his position

The Tennessee House of Representatives has voted to expel Rep. Justin Jones a week after he joined two other Democrats in a protest on the House floor. Jones and two other Democrats were challenging Tennessee's gun laws, in the wake of the March 27 shooting at a school in the state capital, Nashville.  The vote was 72-25. The House requires a two-thirds majority. Rep. Gloria Johnson was not expelled: Justin Pearson awaits the decision for his position

 

By Aneeta  Bhole, Harriet Alexander and Rob Crilly

Daily Mail

April 6, 2023

Justin Jones is seen speaking to reporters shortly after the vote to expel him from the House of Representatives in Tennessee, as a punishment for his participation in a March 30 protest

 

The Tennessee House of Representatives has voted to expel a Democrat member of the state legislature a week after he joined two other Democrats in a protest against gun laws, bringing a bullhorn onto the House floor amid a noisy demonstration.

The vote to expel Justin Jones was carried 72-25. Expulsion from the Tennessee House requires a two-thirds majority. 

Joe Biden called the vote 'shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent'.

He tweeted: 'Three kids and three officials gunned down in yet another mass shooting.

'And what are GOP officials focused on?

'Punishing lawmakers who joined thousands of peaceful protesters calling for action.

'It's shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent.'

The House voted against expelling his colleague Gloria Johnson, and is now considering expelling the third of the trio - Justin Pearson.

Asked why she avoided expulsion, Johnson - the only white person among the three - said it 'might have to do with the color of my skin.'

Jones said after the vote that it showed Tennessee was 'on a path toward authoritarianism', and his lawyers were analyzing whether the expulsion vote was legal. 

'This should sound the alarm across the nation, that we are entering some very dangerous territory,' he said.

He said that the three 'are in this together', and he was heading to the public gallery to support the other two as he is no longer allowed to enter the House floor.

Jones said: 'We are multiracial, intergenerational - we represent Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville. We stand united.

'Because this is not the end.

'But if we don't act, we lose our democracy. Today was a signal that we have lost democracy in Tennessee and we are on a path toward authoritarianism, to be quite honest.'

He said he was not sure if he would run for office again, but would 'stand with the people', and added: 'We were saying, let's pass an assault weapons ban. And they assaulted democracy.'

He said expelling him from the House was 'unconstitutional', and said he is consulting his legal advisers for the next steps. 

 

Justin Jones (pictured), a Democrat representing Nashville in the Tennessee House, was expelled on Thursday - a week after he joined two other Democrats in a protest over gun laws on the House floor

 

The House was shown video of the demonstration, with the three Democrats joined by protestors. 

They used a bullhorn to lead supporters in the public gallery in chants for gun reform last week, and as a result were accused of 'disorderly behavior' in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

The three Democrats raised their fists in the air as video of the 'disruption' played, during the vote to expel them. Cheers and applause were also heard as the video played. 

All three progressive representatives were seen speaking with one another as the short clip ended.

 

Tennessee State Troopers blocked the stairwell leading to the legislative chambers on Thursday

Tennessee State Representative Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones link arms as they walk in the State House

 

Heavy security was present at the House of Representatives in Tennessee as the vote was held on a resolution filed by Republican leadership to expel the three Democrats.

Now only two Democratic lawmakers in Tennessee await the rare expulsion vote for participating in gun control protests after the deadly Nashville school shooting.

Tennessee Republicans accused the protestors and the Democratic House members of disruption when they interrupted House proceedings March 30.

The trio joined hundreds of protestors who marched to the State Capitol last week calling for stricter gun laws.

Six people, including three nine-year-old children, were killed when Nashville shooter Audrey Hale opened fire at The Covenant School on March 27.

 

Protestors and Democrats accused of 'disorderly behavior' in the Tennessee House of Representatives salute with their fists in the air as video of 'disruption' is played during vote to expel the three members

Footage from the House floor showed protestors, Democratic members - Reps. Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson - all saluting in support of their behavior when they used a bullhorn to lead supporters in the public gallery in chants for gun reform last week

Heavy security was present at the House of Representatives in Tennessee as they prepare to vote on a resolution filed by Republican leadership to expel three Democratic leaders for 'disorderly behavior'

Protesters gathered calling for the ban of 'assault weapons' as the House of Reps. prepared to vote

 

The three Democrats - who represent about 20,000 constituents - used a bullhorn to lead supporters in the public gallery in chants for gun reform.

It illustrated the upheaval in Nashville after a shooter killed three children and three members of staff last week, triggering mass protests.

Jones and Johnson were stripped of their committee assignments in the aftermath  by Republican leadership. Pearson, however, did not serve on a committee.

Expulsion votes are rare and in Tennessee. 

The House of Representatives has only voted to expel a member twice since the Civil War. 

One vote was to expel a sitting lawmaker who was convicted of soliciting a bribe, and another for a majority whip who was facing allegations of sexual misconduct.

The resolution to expel the lawmakers says that they brought: 'disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.'

 

Tennessee State Troopers stand guard at the outside the House chamber

Rep. Justin Jones speaks at the statehouse, as Republicans who control the Tennessee House of Representatives prepare to vote on whether to expel him and two others 

Rep. Justin Pearson gestures while entering the statehouse on Thursday

Rep. Justin Jones (center) Rep. Justin Pearson (back left) and Rep. Gloria Johnson (right) huddle on the floor of the House chamber

A demonstrator holds a placard while protesters gather ahead of the Republican vote to expel three Democratic members

 

Two-thirds of the House must vote in favor of the expulsion in order for it to pass.

Hundreds of people invaded the Capitol last week demanding that the Republican-led Statehouse pass gun control measures in the wake of the Nashville massacre of six people at the hands of gunman Hale, 28. 

Three adults - Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Michael Hill, 61 - were killed, along with three nine-year-old students: Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney. 

House leadership later described it as an 'insurrection,' aping language used around the attack on the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump's supporters in January 2021. 

On Monday, three Republicans filed resolutions that the three Democrats be expelled and they successfully asked for an expedited process with a vote Thursday. 

The resolutions claim the three 'did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives,' according to the Tennesseean newspaper. 

The result was fresh chaos on Monday when the first resolution, targeting Pearson, was introduced.

Protesters shouted from the galleries and Pearson raised his fist in salute, while other Democrats raised their hands to object.

Members of the public chanted: 'Fascists! Fascists!' and wagged their fingers and fists at members. 

Instead of taking a vote, the speaker called for state troopers to clear the House galleries. 

 

On Monday, Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson used a bullhorn to lead supporters in the public gallery in chants for gun reform as they face expulsion

Johnson with protesters inside the state Capitol building last week demanding gun reform

Protestors last week as they gathered at the Tennessee State Capitol Building to demand action from lawmakers on gun control after The Covenant School shooting

 

Johnson later said she would consider a lawsuit if expelled, saying their protest was constitutionally protected. 

'We're going to push back, and we're going to fight this because it's unprecedented and utterly ridiculous,' she told the Tennessean. 

She accused Republicans of double standards. 

'We had a child molester on the floor for years, they helped him get reelected and did nothing to expel him,' she added.

'We've had members pee in each other's chairs and nothing happened. But talk on the floor without permission, and you'll get expelled.'

House Speaker Cameron Sexton also announced that the three lawmakers had been stripped of their committee assignments and said more punishments could be on the way. 

A few hours later, House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison referred to Jones as the 'former representative' during the evening session.  

House Democrats said they stood behind the three. 

Lawmakers leaving on Monday evening after protests in the chamber

 

'The Democratic Caucus has unanimously, formally voted to oppose the baseless resolutions for expulsion and will zealously oppose them should they come up for a vote on the House floor,' they said in a statement.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators also protested the resolutions.

'This political retribution is unconstitutional and, in this moment, morally bankrupt,' it said. 

'The people who elected us are calling for meaningful action to end gun violence and the people have a right to be heard through their duly elected representatives.'

U.S. president Joe Biden called for a ban on assault weapons while Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, proposed $155m to place an armed security guard at every public school in Tennessee and to boost security presence at both public and private schools.