Republican Tennessee lawmakers voted to expel two Black freshman Democrats for participating in a gun safety protest. A third member, who is white, kept her seat. The move is sparking national discussion about power, overreach and race in politics.
Last week, Democratic state Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville, Justin Pearson of Memphis and Gloria Johnson of Knoxville joined protesters in Nashville at the statehouse to advocate for gun control reform and call out Republican leaders for not taking action after mass shootings. They said they were supporting and amplifying the voices of their constituents.
The large-scale protest came after the Covenant School shooting that killed six. During the protest, the members used a bullhorn and led chants.
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said the three members’ behavior was “equivalent” to, or “maybe worse” than “doing an insurrection in the State Capitol.”
The members — who have been informally dubbed the “Tennessee Three” — faced identical expulsion resolutions Thursday, accusing them of behavior that reflects poorly on the House’s reputation.
The votes fell largely along party lines, but while Jones and Pearson were voted out, Johnson escaped removal by one vote.
“It might have to do with the color of our skin,” Johnson told reporters after the vote.
Here’s what you need to know about the unprecedented removal and the aftermath:
—Who are Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson?
Justin Jones, 27, is one of the state’s youngest legislators. He’s of Black and Filipino descent and is attending Vanderbilt University for grad school, studying theology. He’s also a well-known community organizer.
Pearson, 29, is also a freshman representative. He notably wore a dashiki during his swearing-in ceremony. He’s an environmental advocate and community organizer.
Johnson, 60, is a former teacher who has served in the Tennessee House since 2019 and before that, from 2013 to 2015.
All three representatives were stripped from their committee assignments after last week’s protest. They represented Tennessee’s largest cities and over 200,000 constituents.
—What are the Tennessee Three saying about their removal?
All three lawmakers have spoken out against the process and Jones' and Pearson’s removal.
“We are losing our democracy in Tennessee,” Pearson told WPLN. “This is another example of the erosion of democracy because we spoke up for gun reform.”
On the House floor after the votes, Pearson said the process represented an “erosion of democracy.”
Jones called the gesture “morally insane” and said on CNN that it was a Republican tactic to silence opposition. “It’s very concerning and it represents a clear and present danger to democracy all across this nation,” he said.
He also told reporters that the proceedings did not “seem like America,” and that “to expel voices of opposition and dissent is a signal of authoritarianism and it is very dangerous.”
On the House floor, Jones called the removal hypocritical.
“For years, one of your colleagues, an admitted child molester, sat in this chamber — no expulsion,” he said, referring to allegations against former Rep. David Byrd, who stayed in office amid the controversy but eventually resigned, citing his health.
Johnson also called the expulsions hypocritical and said bigger issues have never amounted to expulsion.
Johnson and Jones hugged after the vote.
She called him a “rock star” and apologized for the racism he faced from Republican House members. “It’s got to stop,” she said.
—Has something like this ever happened before?
Experts are calling the ousting “extraordinary” for its partisanship and speed. As noted by Politico, the lawmaker-removal process is typically a bipartisan effort, entailing internal investigations and prompted by “criminal charges or ethical lapses.”
Removal as a disciplinary measure has only occurred twice nationwide since the 1800s.
After the vote, people in the House’s public viewing gallery began yelling things like, “fascists” and “shame on you,” The Tennessean reported. The expelled members’ photos and biographies were quickly scrubbed from the House’s website.
—What are people saying about Jones' and Pearson’s removal?
The removals have sparked national concern among lawmakers.
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., the first Gen Z representative, sharply criticized the Tennessee Republicans’ efforts.
“For people in this country who say that racism doesn’t exist, look at what happened to these young black men who stood up said we don’t want kids being shot in this country and dying in a pool of their own blood,” he said Thursday in an interview with MSNBC.
President Joe Biden condemned the members’ removal on Twitter Thursday evening.
“Three kids and three officials gunned down in yet another mass shooting,” he said. “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.”
Neha Patel with the State Innovation Exchange — a nonprofit that supports progressive lawmakers — called the expulsion an “anti-democratic effort to silence the American people for speaking out against the devastating consequences of gun violence.”
Former President Barack Obama also spoke out.
“This nation was built on peaceful protest. No elected official should lose their job simply for raising their voice — especially when they’re doing it on behalf of our children,” he tweeted. “What happened in Tennessee is the latest example of a broader erosion of civility and democratic norms. Silencing those who disagree with us is a sign of weakness, not strength, and it won’t lead to progress.”
Nashville Mayor John Cooper expressed support for Jones and Pearson. He said the local council was preparing to fill the vacancies by sending Jones “right back to continue serving his constituents.”
—What happens next?
Jones and Pearson say they will continue to fight back.
“I’ll be back out there with the people every week demanding that you act,” Jones said just before his removal. “If you expel me, I will continue to show up because this issue is too important.”
Pearson said he and his supporters “will not stop,” tweeting an election poster and soliciting support.
It appears both members plan to run to regain their vacant seats.
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