Protesters and Democrats accused of “disorderly conduct” in the Tennessee House of Representatives salute with their fists in the air as video of the “disorder” plays during the vote to expel the three members.
Footage from the floor of the House showed protesters, Democratic members – MPs Justin Jones and Justin Pearson – all saluting in support of their behavior as they used a megaphone to lead supporters in the public gallery in pro-gun reform chants last week.
Cheers and applause were also heard as the video played all three progressive representatives speaking to each other at the end of the short clip.
Security was tight in the Tennessee House of Representatives as voting began on a resolution tabled by the Republican leadership to expel the three Democratic leaders.
Tennessee’s three Democratic lawmakers are facing the rare disfellowship vote for taking part in gun control protests following the fatal shooting at a Nashville school.
Tennessee State Troopers blocked the stairwell leading to the Legislative Chambers on Thursday
Tennessee State Representatives Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones hold hands as they walk through the State House
Tennessee Republicans blamed protesters and members of the Democratic House of Disruption as they suspended House negotiations on March 30 to join hundreds of protesters who marched to the state Capitol last week demanding tougher gun laws.
Six people, including three nine-year-old children, were killed when Nashville assassin Audrey Hale opened fire on March 27 at the Covenant School.
Democratic members — Representatives Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson — representing some 20,000 voters, used a megaphone to lead supporters in the public gallery into chants for gun reform.
It illustrated the upheaval in Nashville after a gunman killed three children and three staff members last week and sparked mass protests.
Jones and Johnson were subsequently stripped of their committee duties by the Republican leadership, but Pearson 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 was for an incumbent lawmaker convicted of bribery and another for a majority whip charged with sexual misconduct.
The resolution expelling lawmakers said they had “brought disorder and shame into the House of Representatives by their individual and collective actions.”
Two-thirds of the House of Representatives must vote in favor of the expulsion for it to pass.
Hundreds of people poured into the Capitol last week demanding that the Republican-led statehouse pass gun control measures following the Nashville massacre of six people by 28-year-old gunman Hale.
Protesters and Democrats accused of “disorderly conduct” in the Tennessee House of Representatives salute with their fists in the air as video of the “disorder” plays during the vote to expel the three members
Footage from the floor of the House showed protesters, Democratic members – MPs Justin Jones and Justin Pearson – all saluting in support of their behavior as they used a megaphone to lead supporters in the public gallery in pro-gun reform chants last week
There was heavy security in the Tennessee House of Representatives as they prepared to vote on a resolution tabled by the Republican leadership to expel three Democratic leaders for “disorderly conduct.”
Protesters rallied demanding the ban on “assault weapons” as the House of Representatives prepares to vote
Tennessee State Troopers guard the House of Representatives Chamber
Rep. Justin Jones speaks in 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 as he enters the statehouse
Rep. Justin Jones (center) Rep. Justin Pearson (back left) and Rep. Gloria Johnson (right) crouch on the floor of the House of Representatives chamber. Tennessee Republicans are trying to oust the three House Democrats for using a megaphone to shout support for the pro-gun control protesters in the House
A protester holds a placard as protesters gather ahead of the Republican vote to expel three Democratic members
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 leaders later described it as an “insurgency,” aping language used in connection with the January 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Donald Trump’s supporters.
On Monday, three Republicans filed the disfellowshipping of the three Democrats and successfully requested an expedited trial with a vote on Thursday.
The resolutions claim the three “knowingly and intentionally brought disorder and shame to the House of Representatives,” according to the Tennessee newspaper.
The result was fresh chaos on Monday when the first resolution against 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 threatened members with fingers and fists. Instead, the speaker called on state troopers to evacuate the galleries of the House of Representatives.
On Monday, MPs Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson used a megaphone to lead supporters in the public gallery into chants for gun reform as they face deportation
Johnson last week with protesters at the State Capitol Building demanding gun reform
Demonstrators rallied outside the Tennessee State Capitol Building last week to call on lawmakers to take gun control action following the shooting at The Covenant School
Johnson later said she would consider a lawsuit if she was expelled, saying her protest was constitutionally protected.
“We’re going to push back and fight this because it’s unprecedented and absolutely ridiculous,” she told the Tennessean.
She accused Republicans of double standards.
“We had a child molester down for years, they helped him get re-elected and did nothing to disfellowship him,” she added.
“Members peed in each other’s chairs and nothing happened. But if you speak on the floor without permission, you will be expelled from school.’
House Speaker Cameron Sexton also announced that the three lawmakers had been stripped of their committee duties and said further penalties could be forthcoming.
“A few hours later, during the evening session, House Republican leader Jeremy Faison referred to Jones as the ‘former Representative.’
After the votes, House Democrats said they were behind the three.
Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, across the country we see Democrats rebelling against the GOP’s new authoritarian rule. And they are fierce. I love it. 👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/oRdOWcOhjd
— Michelle (@LivingBlueTX) April 4, 2023
MPs leave the chamber on Monday evening after protests
Tonight, as the Tennessee House Republicans plan the vote on our expulsion, Speaker Sexton orders the gallery cleared as the crowd chants “fascists.”
Media also at forced.
Then Rep. Lafferty (R-Knox) pushes me and grabs my phone.
This is a sad day for Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/Lh08Ma5kdS
— Rep. Justin Jones (@brotherjones_) April 4, 2023
“The Democratic caucus voted unanimously and formally to oppose the baseless expulsion resolutions and will zealously oppose them should they appear on the House floor for a vote,” they said in a statement.
The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators also protested the resolutions.
“This political retaliation is unconstitutional and, at this moment, morally bankrupt,” it said.
“The people who elected us are demanding meaningful action to end gun violence, and the people have the right to be heard through their duly elected representatives.”
US President Joe Biden called for a ban on assault weapons, while Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, proposed $155 million to place an armed guard at every Tennessee public school and increase security presence at both public and private schools to strengthen schools.
Who are the three Tennessee Democratic lawmakers facing expulsion?
Rep. Gloria Johnson, Knoxville
Rep. Gloria Johnson delivered remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives as Tennessee Republicans sought to oust her and two other House Democrats
Johnson, 60, was born in Colorado and moved several times during her youth because of her father’s work at the FBI.
In seventh grade, her family settled in Knoxville, according to her official campaign biography.
She attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a degree in education and taught elementary and high school classes for several years.
Johnson was also active in local politics, helping with some field campaigns for elected Democrats.
She served as Knox County Democratic Party leader in 2009 and was first elected to the Tennessee House three years later, representing the 13th District.
She was defeated by Republican Eddie Smith in the 2014 election, but reclaimed her seat in a rematch with Smith in 2018.
Johnson, who is a gun owner, has made gun safety a top priority.
Rep. Justin Jones, Nashville
Rep. Justin Jones delivered remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives chamber
Jones, 27, was born in Oakland, California and said he has been active in political movements since he was young.
In high school, he organized rallies to speak out against the Stand Your Ground laws after Treyvon Martin’s death.
He attended Fisk University in Tennessee in 2013 and has continued to be involved in political activism.
After graduating, Jones worked with local activist groups, including the Tennessee Healthcare Campaign, a nonprofit dedicated to making health care affordable for state residents.
Jones ran for the open house seat for Tennessee’s 52nd Circuit last year. He had no opponents in the general election.
Rep. Justin Pearson, Memphis
Memphis Rep Justin Pearson greeted crowds of people at the rotunda in Nashville
Pearson, 27, was born and raised in Memphis and graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with degrees in government, law and education.
Pearson has been a member of several community organizing groups and after years of political work in the nonprofit sector, Pearson was formally elected member-elect of the Tennessee House in a special election this year to replace Barbara Cooper, the 86th Circuit Representative who died in October 2022 .
Source: ABC News