By Nikki Slusher
Republican Tennessee (TN) lawmakers escalated into full fascists on Thursday afternoon where the state house held a vote to expel three state Democratic representatives. The three Democrats who were up for expulsion are Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson. After the House voted, two out of the three Democrats were expelled from the legislature.
Rep. Johnson, the only white representative up for expulsion, was the member who was able to keep her seat; however, the expulsion only failed by one vote. Reps. Jones and Pearson — two Black men — were expelled by the House GOP. Nicknamed the ‘Tennessee Three’, the representative’s were penalized for joining the gun control protest following the tragic Nashville school shooting last week.
During the vote Republican Rep. Gino Bulso said after questioning him that not expelling Jones “would simply invite him and his colleagues to continue to engage in mutiny on the House floor.” Republican lawmakers claimed that the three Democrats “knowingly and intentionally brought disorder and dishonor” to the House by engaging in the peaceful protests.
“How can you bring dishonor to an already dishonorable House?” Jones asked. Pearson also expressed his thoughts on what the legislature’s response should’ve been. “The solution isn’t expulsion,” he added. “The solution is doing something to pass meaningful gun violence prevention.”
The GOP’s actions against Jones and Pearson have further inflamed the already tense partisan divide in TN. As for the punitive actions taken against the two men, this is only the third time since the Civil War era that Tennessee lawmakers have expelled a member from the ranks.
Surrounded by supporters, Pearson spoke after he was removed. “You cannot ignore the racial dynamic of what happened today — two young Black lawmakers get expelled and the one white woman does not,” he stated. Jones also delivered a remarkable speech to his peers and supporters. “The world is watching Tennessee,” Jones said. “And what is happening here today is a farce of democracy.”
I truly believe that this was a big miscalculation on the TN GOP’s behalf. If anything they have propelled all three Democrats into national stardom while protesters continue to show up in support of them and progressive policies. For now both Pearson and Jones will be appointed by their local officials as interim legislators who will be back voting on the floor in a month (hopefully).
The GOP will ban drag queens, books, history, and diversity but standing with constituents in solidarity to bring some sort of change to protect our children from guns is a line too far. It’s ironic considering these are the same people having massive temper tantrums over Donald Trump’s arrest on Tuesday. Don’t worry though — Millennials, Zillennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha will remember this authoritarian power move at the polls in 2024.
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