{"id":2017071,"date":"2023-08-30T16:43:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T20:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-republican-trifecta-in-tennessee-didnt-stop-chaos-during-special-session\/"},"modified":"2023-08-30T16:46:48","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T20:46:48","slug":"in-depth-republican-trifecta-in-tennessee-didnt-stop-chaos-during-special-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-republican-trifecta-in-tennessee-didnt-stop-chaos-during-special-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee&#8217;s Republican Trifecta Failed to Prevent Chaos in Special Session."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fin-depth-republican-trifecta-in-tennessee-didnt-stop-chaos-during-special-session%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2017071&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>Months of intense \u200bdebate in the Tennessee Legislature over gun control\u2064 following \u2064the tragic Covenant School shooting reached a dramatic \u200bconclusion on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Both chambers wrapped up their business in a special session called by Republican Gov. Bill Lee.<\/p>\n<p>The session, which was prompted by \u2064the shooting that claimed the lives of three adults and three children, was officially focused on \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/washington-d-c-mayor-extends-emergency-declaration-for-15-days\/\" title=\"Washington, D.C. mayor extends emergency declaration for 15 days\">public safety<\/a>. Gov. Lee \u2064outlined \u200ca specific set of legislation that could be proposed\u2063 during the session.<\/p>\n<p>While the governor&#8217;s call\u2062 provided 18 possible \u200dpriorities for lawmakers to consider, \u200dthe \u2064state Senate decided on the first day of the session to only pass a\u2064 few bills. \u2063None of these bills addressed gun ownership in the state, which was a demand \u2063from Democrats and the Covenant School families.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related\u2062 Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/democrats-call-foul-as-tennessee-special-session-on-public-safety-begins-5478341\">Democrats Call Foul as Tennessee Special Session on \u2062Public Safety Begins<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/22\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/democrats-call-foul-as-tennessee-special-session-on-public-safety-begins-5478341\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/2-democratic-lawmakers-ousted-from-tennessee-house-in-april-reelected-5442020\">2 Democratic Lawmakers Ousted\u2062 From Tennessee House in April Reelected<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/3\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/2-democratic-lawmakers-ousted-from-tennessee-house-in-april-reelected-5442020\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Leaders in\u200b the House and Senate, where Republicans hold a supermajority, clashed with each other and the governor. Infighting caused as much\u200b dysfunction as the fights between the parties.<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday morning, the Senate made it clear that they would only pass three bills and an appropriations bill to fund the special session and other safety \u2064enhancements. This decision limited the state House of Representatives, which had planned to debate multiple pieces of legislation on the \u2062calendar.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate adjourned until January, followed by the House, but not without verbal and physical\u200d altercations \u200bon the House floor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Dysfunctional House<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the\u2063 efforts of \u200bDemocrats \u200cand Republicans in the House, who \u200cproposed over 100 \u200cbills during \u200bthe \u2063special session, substantial debate on the proposed legislation was overshadowed by politics, protests, censure, and a court injunction in Nashville.<\/p>\n<p>On the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/democrats-call-foul-as-tennessee-special-session-on-public-safety-begins-5478341\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first day of the session<\/a>, House Republicans passed rules that clarified the consequences of a lawmaker being ruled out of order twice in one day. This\u200c rule change was a direct response\u200d to three Democrats being\u2064 ruled out of\u200d order for disrupting proceedings\u2064 in March after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-republican-leader-slams-marjorie-taylor-greene-a-cancer-for-the-republican-party\/\" title=\"Top Republican Leader Slams Marjorie Taylor Greene: A \u2018Cancer For The Republican Party\u2019\">school shooting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The outburst by the Democrats, who were advocating for gun control, resulted in \u200ba vote of expulsion for the members. Only one of the three was spared expulsion.<\/p>\n<p>The other two lawmakers, Reps. Justin \u2064Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson\u2062 of Memphis, were quickly reinstated by their local governments and officially reelected in special elections in August.<\/p>\n<p>The rules also included a ban on\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-depth-republican-trifecta-in-tennessee-didnt-stop-chaos-during-special-session\/\" title=\"Tennessee's Republican Trifecta Failed to Prevent Chaos in Special Session.\">holding copy paper-sized signs<\/a> in the House gallery and committee rooms. Democrats criticized these rules as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rubio-wilson-introduce-bill-targeting-china-creep-on-campus\/\" title=\"Rubio, Wilson Introduce Bill Targeting China Creep on Campus\">limiting free speech<\/a> and debate, sparking controversy\u200c throughout the special session.<\/p>\n<h2>Injunctions and Censure<\/h2>\n<p>In committee meetings the day after the \u200cnew rules were passed, state troopers were called to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/judge-blocks-tennessee-houses-sign-rule-after-grieving-covenant-school-moms-removed-by-troopers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">remove\u2064 three women<\/a> from a committee room for holding small signs.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after, the women \u2062became the subject \u200bof a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against House Speaker Cameron Sexton. A judge \u2064issued an injunction on the sign ban, allowing signs to return the following morning.<\/p>\n<p>House leadership attempted to\u2064 overturn the injunction, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The rule on consequences for disrupting proceedings also sparked controversy, leading to a \u200bphysical altercation and the silencing of a Democratic representative.<\/p>\n<h2>Senate \u200dDraws Line in Sand<\/h2>\n<p>Republicans in\u200c the Senate clashed with the governor and the speaker from the beginning. One member even called for the special session to\u200d adjourn just minutes after it began.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200dthe following days, the Senate&#8217;s committee meetings and floor sessions were short, some lasting\u200c only a few minutes. Leaders in the Senate made it clear that they would only pass three bills, and they followed through with that decision.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Tennessee\u200b Rep. Justin Pearson speaks on \u200bhis phone while\u2064 being expelled from the state \u200bLegislature\u2064 in Nashville, Tenn., on April 6, 2023. (Seth Herald\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The laws passed include a public safety campaign and distribution of free firearm locks, a bill shortening\u200d the notification period for \u2063local courts to\u2063 inform the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation about criminal proceedings, and a bill requiring the TBI \u2064to provide an annual report on child and \u200bhuman trafficking in \u200cthe state.<\/p>\n<p>A fourth\u2062 bill\u2062 related \u200cto appropriations allows for funding expenses\u200d for the special session, as well as grants for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-immunocompromised-individuals-seeking-out-fourth-fifth-booster-shots-without-long-term-data\/\" title=\"Report: Immunocompromised Individuals Seeking Out Fourth, Fifth Booster Shots Without Long-Term Data\">mental health agencies<\/a> and school \u200bsafety grants.<\/p>\n<h2>Claims of Assault\u200c on Final Day<\/h2>\n<p>The House was in disarray at the\u200c beginning of the session,\u2064 and\u2063 the contentious relationships within the body only escalated. Fiery\u2064 speeches and claims of physical \u200dassault were made as the House debated adjourning.<\/p>\n<p>A Republican representative claimed to have been plowed through by a Democrat on the floor. Video\u2064 footage showed a physical altercation and tense moments as both sides tried to calm\u200b their members down.<\/p>\n<p>In a press conference following \u2063adjournment, Democrats accused Republican leadership of pushing them physically. One representative even\u200c accused the speaker\u2062 of being \u200ba &#8220;white supremacist&#8221; and considered pressing charges.<\/p>\n<p>Despite\u2063 the chaos, a vote of no confidence in the speaker was not taken \u200dup before adjournment.<\/p>\n<h2>Gun Rights Group Claims\u200d Victory<\/h2>\n<p>The\u2064 Tennessee Firearms Association, which opposed the special session, celebrated the lack of legislation passed as a victory for gun owners in \u200bthe state. They believe that the multitude of proposed gun control measures from both \u200cparties highlights the importance of protecting Second Amendment rights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Months of debate in the Tennessee Legislature on gun control ended fiercely on Aug. 29. Both chambers concluded their business in a special session called by Gov. Bill Lee after the deadly Covenant School shooting. The session was announced shortly after the incident, which claimed the lives of three adults and three others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1627,"featured_media":2017072,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2017071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2017071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1627"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2017071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2017071\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2017072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2017071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2017071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2017071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}