{"id":2602185,"date":"2026-05-13T12:12:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T16:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tn-dems-who-protested-new-map-stripped-of-committee-assignments\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T12:14:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T16:14:12","slug":"tn-dems-who-protested-new-map-stripped-of-committee-assignments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tn-dems-who-protested-new-map-stripped-of-committee-assignments\/","title":{"rendered":"TN Dems who protested new map stripped of committee assignments"},"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%2Ftn-dems-who-protested-new-map-stripped-of-committee-assignments%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=2602185&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--><p>Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton removed several Democratic lawmakers from all House standing committees and subcommittees until the next session, citing their \u201cdisruptive\u201d conduct during protests tied to Republicans\u2019 redistricting agenda. The action affects multiple Democrats,including Justin Pearson,Justin Jones,Gabby Salinas,gloria Johnson,and Aftyn Behn. Sexton said the protests were aimed at disrupting the legislative process, including coordination with paid protestors.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats condemned the move as retaliatory, alleging it targets Black lawmakers and undermines representation for millions of Tennesseans. The protests occurred during a special session over new district maps; Democrats argue the changes roll back protections for Black voting power, while Republicans say the redistricting is a partisan effort to strengthen GOP influence and is not about race.<\/p>\n<p>The dispute follows Republicans\u2019 passage of new maps that eliminated Tennessee\u2019s only Democratic-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-some-democrats-concerned-their-voting-rights-bill-might-be-racist\/\" title=\"...ort: Some Democrats Concerned Their \u2018Voting Rights\u2019 Bill Might Be Racist\">majority-minority district<\/a> in Memphis, drawing wider criticism similar to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ags-sue-to-stop-new-rule-giving-free-health-care-to-illegals\/\" title=\"AGs Sue To Stop New Rule Giving &#039;Free&#039; Health Care To Illegals\">prior court rulings<\/a> on race-based map-drawing.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tennessee\/\">Tennessee<\/a> Democratic lawmakers in the state House have been removed from leadership positions as punishment for how they carried out fiery protests against Republicans\u2019 <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/redistricting\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"241\">redistricting<\/a> agenda. <\/p>\n<p>Republican Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton removed Democratic lawmakers from all House standing committees and subcommittees until next session, \u201cexcept where membership is required.\u201d The development affects multiple lawmakers, including state Reps. Justin Pearson, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DYQRDh_Eo83\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DYQRDh_Eo83\/\">Justin Jones<\/a>, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/reel\/764074623363407\">Gabby Salinas<\/a>, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gloria.johnson.739\/posts\/pfbid0yGXYpG3TaGWwN71ku6tsSUYkYWEpo4g5Gdnkdb3LX4AW3g2mxNH9EEUbjgW96SHil\">Gloria Johnson<\/a>, and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/aftynbehn4tn\/status\/2054318798098899160\">Aftyn Behn<\/a>. One letter sent to Democratic House Leader Karen Camper stated that she would remain on the Government Operations Committee only as required by House rules.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4566150\/brian-kemp-passes-election-change-atlanta-race-competitive-republicans\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Brian Kemp passes election change to make Atlanta races more competitive for Republicans<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4565102\/alejandro-mayorkas-not-endorse-xavier-becerra-california\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mayorkas doesn\u2019t endorse fellow Biden official Becerra in California gubernatorial race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4564793\/brad-raffensperger-campaign-bomb-threat-event-will-not-back-down\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Brad Raffensperger campaign has bomb threat at event location: \u2018I will not back down\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com\/local3news.com\/content\/tncms\/assets\/v3\/editorial\/7\/f0\/7f0adb3f-08b5-4417-9516-d224b535af22\/6a03c3597193f.pdf.pdf\">letter<\/a>, Sexton said that the lawmakers took actions \u201caimed at disrupting the democratic and legislative processes and creating disorder\u201d on the House floor, including \u201cinstigating and encouraging disruptions of the legislative process in coordination with paid protestors and attendees in the gallery.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\" style=\"--aspect-ratio:calc(696 \/ 464)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">KeShaun Pearson is arrested and removed from the Tennessee House gallery Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Nashville. (George Walker IV\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tennessee state Rep. William Lamberth (R), left, speaks with state Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D), right, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Nashville. (George Walker IV\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">A woman protests outside the Tennessee House chamber Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Nashville. (George Walker IV\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tennessee state Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D) is arrested with his brother KeShaun Pearson on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. (George Walker IV\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\">\n<figure><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones (D), left, protests outside the House chamber Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Nashville. (George Walker IV\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Democrats affected by the committee changes blasted Republicans over the punishment. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust as my white Republican colleagues chose racial retaliation against Tennessee\u2019s Black voters, the Speaker of the House is now choosing retaliation against a Black lawmaker for standing up against their Jim Crow racial gerrymander,\u201d Jones said <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DYQRDh_Eo83\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&#038;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\">in a statement<\/a> alleging the GOP stripped him of committee assignments \u201cfor protesting their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/evangelical-leaders-joy-reid-committed-slander-against-christians\/\" title=\"Evangelical Leaders: Joy Reid Committed \u2018Slander\u2019 Against Christians\">white supremacist agenda<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpeaker of the TN House Cameron Sexton just removed me and every Democrat \u2014 and therefore every Black elected official in the state legislature from any committee we served on,\u201d Pearson <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Justinjpearson\/status\/2054317572091257198?s=20\">added<\/a>. \u201cThis move strips nearly 2 million Tennesseans from the representation they deserve in TN state leg.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The protests took place during last week\u2019s special session over Republicans\u2019 redistricting efforts in Tennessee, prompting a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ntd.com\/tennessee-legislature-strips-all-democrats-of-committee-assignments-after-redistricting-protests_1145158.html\">response from state troopers<\/a>. Republicans passed new maps that eliminated the state\u2019s only Democratic<span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">, <\/span>majority-minority district in Memphis in response to the Supreme Court\u2019s <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4410470\/supreme-court-strikes-down-race-based-redistricting-map-in-louisiana\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4410470\/supreme-court-strikes-down-race-based-redistricting-map-in-louisiana\/\">Louisiana v. Callais<\/a><\/em>  decision, which gave states greater freedom to draw political maps without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-says-tennessee-next-to-redistrict-after-supreme-court-ruling\/\" title=\"Trump says ... next to redistrict after Supreme Court ruling\">prioritizing racial outcomes<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Democrats pushed back against Republicans\u2019 move to redraw the map without prioritizing racial outcomes in Rep. Steve Cohen\u2019s (D-TN) 9th Congressional District. Lawmakers such as Pearson and Johnson accused the GOP of reverting to white supremacy and using the new maps as \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/wpln.org\/post\/democrats-walk-out-of-redistricting-hearing-protesters-arrested\/\">racist tools<\/a>\u201d to take away black political voting power, and some protesters showed up to demonstrations wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods. <\/p>\n<p>    <iframe title=\"Which states are trying to enact new maps for the midterms\" aria-label=\"Choropleth map\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-gyDC7\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/gyDC7\/6\/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"493\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>When the state House voted last week to pass the new maps, Democrats staged a walkout, locking arms at the front of the chamber. KeShaun Pearson, the brother of the Democratic lawmaker, was among several protesters arrested after refusing to leave the House gallery, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/wpln.org\/post\/democrats-walk-out-of-redistricting-hearing-protesters-arrested\/\">according to<\/a> WPLN. Jones was seen in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DYFtCb1ADcR\/\">video footage<\/a> lighting a small Confederate flag on fire as he participated in the walkout.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4556389\/gop-democrats-gerrymander-targets-supreme-court-ruling\/\"><strong>RED OR BLUE? GOP AND DEMOCRATS EYE NEXT GERRYMANDER TARGETS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Redistricting advocates have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/foxbaltimore.com\/news\/nation-world\/day-3-special-session-tennessee-congressional-map-redistricting-memphis-politics-state-capitol-protests-lawmakers-governor-bill-lee-donald-trump-marsha-blackburn\">pushed back<\/a> against criticism, pointing out that voters in the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >historically majority black district<\/a> have elected a white representative, Cohen, to lead Memphis since 2006. Sexton <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/newschannel9.com\/news\/local\/as-tennessee-democrats-protest-proposed-redistricting-gop-pushes-back\">told <\/a>FOX 17 News redistricting has nothing to do with racism, framing it as a purely partisan effort to boost the Republican Party\u2019s power in Congress. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cJustin Pearson says everything\u2019s racist,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat you do know is that other states are doing the same thing. Virginia turned their whole state blue. California\u2019s looking at doing blue.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tennessee House Democrats removed from committees after protests<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2602186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26066587385352.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[47797,35292,3970,16985,79611],"class_list":["post-2602185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-committee-assignments","tag-political-parties","tag-protests","tag-redistricting","tag-tennessee-democrats"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26066587385352.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602185","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\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2602185"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2602189,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602185\/revisions\/2602189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2602186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2602185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2602185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2602185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}