Table Of Content
- Former Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones says he lost a seat, but voters lost their voice
- What are the 3 lawmakers saying?
- Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson arrive on House floor
- What are the House rules around expulsion?
- Tennessee House moves to expel 3 Democrats after gun protest
- Capacity limit imposed inside Capitol
- Legislators from 35 other states support Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson

House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, called for a vote on resolutions to expel the three on Monday. “If after looking at his conduct, they vote he come back, we will recognize him as a representative,” Bulso said, referring to the floor protest as a "mutiny." House Republicans have voted to oust Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, from the Tennessee House of Representatives as the chamber entered the tenth hour of session meeting Thursday. Justin Jones said the expulsion was not a silencing of them as individuals, rather the silencing of an entire movement.“We’ll see you on Monday,” he said, referencing the special meeting already called by Metro Council to appoint an interim Representative. When the vote to expel Pearson was counted, the House chamber erupted with shouts of outrage from the gallery of protesters. Chaos erupted outside the chamber doors, where at least 20 protesters laid on their backs in an impromptu "die-in."
Former Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones says he lost a seat, but voters lost their voice
Sitting in puddles on the first floor of the closest parking garage to the Capitol, a group of demonstrators carefully wrapped tape around their signs to waterproof them an hour before the rally even started. From the floor, they roused cheers from the crowd in the galleries before the chamber gaveled in for business. Her husband said "honoring Katherine compels us to remember a 7th family, a 7th family equally wounded in the loss of someone dear to them," and he called on the community to support them as well. Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville, rose to mention that Covenant head of school Katherine Koonce was laid to rest this week. Freeman said Koonce's husband said some "remarkable words" at her funeral, including what her husband believed would be Koonce's wishes of generosity and forgiveness in the wake of the tragedy.
What are the 3 lawmakers saying?
Political tensions rose when Pearson, Johnson and Jones, from the House floor, joined with hundreds of demonstrators who packed the Capitol to call for passage of gun control measures. The unseating of the lawmakers threatened to further inflame partisan rancor in a state that is divided over issues like how to respond to a school shooting in Nashville. He said he hopes this sends a message to Republican leadership and state House Speaker Cameron Sexton that “the people will not let his crimes against democracy happen without challenge." He called for Sexton to resign as the speaker. Jones said being expelled and reinstated made him understand that "we need more representatives who are willing to risk a title to be with the people, to stand with the people. We need bold leadership."
Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson arrive on House floor
Two expelled Democratic lawmakers reclaim seats in Tennessee special election - Reuters
Two expelled Democratic lawmakers reclaim seats in Tennessee special election.
Posted: Thu, 03 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The GOP-dominated House voted to expel the state representative last week after he and two other Democrats called for gun reform on the chamber floor. Pearson and Jones were expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday after the two of them and Rep. Gloria Johnson staged a demonstration on the House floor calling for gun reform and leading chants with a bullhorn. Protesters call for gun reform laws and show support for three Democratic representatives who are facing expulsion as legislators start the morning session Thursday at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. Democratic Reps. Justin Pearson of Memphis, Justin Jones of Nashville and Gloria Johnson of Knoxville face expulsion after they led a protest at the Capitol. The move marked a rare defeat on a GOP-backed proposal initially introduced nearly one year ago. It easily cleared the Republican-controlled Senate last April, but lawmakers eventually hit pause as the House became consumed with controversy over expelling two Black Democratic lawmakers for their participating in a pro-gun control protest from the House floor.
Tennessee House Expulsions: What You Need to Know - The New York Times
Tennessee House Expulsions: What You Need to Know.
Posted: Sat, 20 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
What are the House rules around expulsion?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Republican lawmakers took the first steps Monday to expel three Democratic members from the GOP-dominant House for their role in a recent gun control protest at the state Capitol. “Rather than debating the merits of the issue (of gun control), these Republican lawmakers have chosen to punish, silence, and expel duly-elected representatives of the people of Tennessee,” Biden said in a statement. Tennessee’s GOP-dominated House expelled two Democratic lawmakers over their roles in a gun control protest. Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses those allegations to silence opposition.
Yale authorities on Tuesday morning cleared an encampment after protesters heeded final warnings to leave, university officials said. Demonstrators said on social media that they were moving their gathering to a sidewalk area. The encampment was set up Sunday, six days after police arrested nearly 50 people, including 44 students, and took down dozens of tents.

All were accused of "bringing disorder and dishonor" to the state legislature for their protest. Upon Pearson’s return to the House floor, lawmakers debated legislation that deals with the teaching of “divisive concepts” regarding race, gender and sex on college campuses. After a brief spirited debate involving Pearson and Jones, Republicans used procedural rules to immediately halt discussion and force members to vote on the bill.
Jones has sued over his expulsion and a temporary special session House rule that Republicans applied to silence Jones for part of one day in August. Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, are also pushing forward on a proposed bill that would keep Johnson from appearing on the ballot multiple times for different offices in one election. Johnson, who is white, was spared from expulsion by a single vote after her legal team argued her role was lesser, noting she didn’t use a bullhorn. The Democrats were dubbed the “Tennessee Three” and drew national attention and fundraising.
The Nashville school shooting highlights the partisan divide over gun legislation
“Yes indeed, happy resurrection day,” Pearson said as he signed paperwork for his return. At least 27 members of Nashville’s 40-seat Metro Council said they plan to reappoint Jones and send him back to the Tennessee House of Representatives. Those members would give him the simple majority he would need to reclaim his seat. Expulsion from the legislature has typically been reserved for people who take bribes, commit sexual offenses, or for felons.
After hours of fiery debate in Tennessee's House of Representatives on Thursday, two Democratic lawmakers were expelled. Walking arm-in-arm with a crowd of what he described as thousands of people, Rep. Justin Jones walked back to the Tennessee state capital after the Nashville Metropolitan Council voted unanimously to reappoint him to the state House. State Rep. Justin Jones was sworn back into his House District 52 seat as an interim representative Monday.
The video was a compilation of footage from that day and afterward — and because it included video shot on the House floor, Democrats said whichever member had taken the footage had likely violated House rules. Earlier in the proceedings, Rep. Johnny Garrett, the House majority whip, played a seven-minute video of events from that day, over objections of Democrats including Rep. Joe Towns, Jr., D-Memphis, who spoke out against what he called a "stacked deal" and an "ambush." Lawmakers began to take up the question of expelling three of their colleagues shortly after 1 p.m. During the proceeding, loud protests could occasionally be heard from off the chamber's floor. Protesters in the gallery began chanting "fascists! fascists!" and shook their fists in the air. One woman refused to do so and was forcibly removed resulting in her arrest on two counts of assault on a first responder when she pushed one trooper and hit another in the leg.
The House of Representatives has voted only twice since the Civil War to expel a member, once in 1980 after a sitting lawmaker was convicted of soliciting a bribe and again in 2016 after the House majority whip faced allegations of sexual misconduct while in office. Here's what happened to lead up to the expulsions from the House, what the expulsion means and what could come next. Jones said the first thing he plans to do when he gets back in the House is to continue to fight for gun reform. The vote by Nashville Metropolitan Council on Monday to appoint Jones passed unanimously. He took the oath on the steps of the state capitol in Nashville surrounded by a crowd of people. Pearson told supporters that having a voice and a vision in the state House matters.
A third lawmaker, Rep. Gloria Johnson, a White woman and Democrat who also participated in the demonstration, survived the vote and held on to her seat in the GOP-dominated chamber. In 2016, state Rep. Jeremy Durham was expelled after being found to have shown "disorderly behavior" — in that case, Durham was facing numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. It is "morally insane," Jones said, to prioritize punishing lawmakers over a procedural breach after a mass shooting at a school.
The historic, partisan expulsion process has roiled political tensions as Tennessee continues to grapple with the deadliest school shooting in its history. Withers told Tapper he believes there will be enough votes to place Jones back in his seat and that the council is hearing from supporters throughout the state. The council decided to send the ousted lawmaker back to occupy the House District 52 seat as an interim representative on Monday after he was expelled from his seat last week. The expulsion vote took place one week after Reps. Johnson, Jones and Pearson used a megaphone to lead chants of demonstrators in the House gallery. Controversy has surrounded the vote by Tennessee lawmakers to expel two members from the state legislature after they and a third member — all Democrats — took part in a protest against gun violence from the floor of the chamber. A week after Republicans ousted two Democratic lawmakers over a gun control protest, both returned to their seats.
At many campuses, including Columbia, the conflict over protests appeared to be coming to a head. The occupation at Columbia — where protesters had shrugged off an earlier ultimatum to abandon a tent encampment Monday or be suspended — unfolded as other universities stepped up efforts to clear out encampments. The House approved the measure as protesters shouted objections, nearly drowning out the proceedings with chants of “Not one more kid!
Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville speaks before his colleagues voted to expel him from the House on Thursday. Constitutional scholars say such measures are very rare — and have uncertain consequences. Earlier in the day, Sarah Shoop Neumann, a Nashville mom whose son is enrolled in pre-K at the Covenant School, asked the three lawmakers to share a letter with Biden she wrote on what the community needs. Jones, Justin and Johnson told "GMA 3" similarly said they were simply listening to the people when they joined calls to address gun violence. Republicans banished Pearson and state Rep. Justin Jones last week over their role in the protest on the House floor over the shooting, which left three children and three adults dead. State Rep. Justin Pearson, of Memphis, was sworn in Thursday outside the Statehouse.