Tennessee GOP Expels Democrat Following State Capitol Storming

The Tennessee Republicans made history as they expelled Nashville Democrat Rep. Justin Jones from the state House with a vote of 72-25. The decision came after gun control activists stormed the state capitol building, disrupting the floor session while Jones led chants with a bullhorn. Meanwhile, Democrats and protesters were emotional throughout the vote, and some even claimed that the Republicans were turning Tennessee into a “fascist state”.

The filing of resolutions on Monday against Jones, Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), and Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), led to the votes on expulsion. However, the vote to expel Johnson failed by just one vote, while the legislature will vote on a resolution to expel Pearson later. According to Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood), a House Republican, the Democrats tried to “shred the [state’s] constitution with a bullhorn” during the debate.

Outside the chamber, hundreds of left-wing protesters chanted slogans for and against gun control. While Jones told the crowd that the influence of the NRA needed to be shut out of Tennessee, Pearson and he both appeared to enjoy the attention. According to Sam, a protester from Hermitage, he was there to support Jones, his representative. He added that while he supported citizens owning handguns and had a concealed carry permit, he opposed civilians owning “assault rifles.”

The demonstrators also adopted the classic Christian song “I’m Going To Let It Shine,” but changed the lyrics to be about democracy. During the debate, Jones admitted to sneaking a bullhorn into the chamber under his coat, after which he led chants with people sitting in the balcony.

The Tennessee GOP kicked all three Democrats, Jones, Johnson, and Pearson, off their committees, believing that their actions were a breach of House rules and that they needed to be held accountable. House Speaker Cameron Sexton said that the disruption was unprecedented, and the lawmakers wanted to be arrested and wanted the attention for themselves. Meanwhile, tensions at the capitol have been high due to the recent murder of six people at a Christian school in Nashville by a self-identified transgender person. As a result, Governor Bill Lee has proposed increased funding for armed guards in schools and reiterated the support for a bill that would raise security measures in schools across the state.