(TSN): House Republicans in Tennessee are being accused of using the government as an apparatus to silence dissent as two of the three Democratic lawmakers up for expulsion lost their jobs following a vote on Thursday. Knoxville representative Gloria Johnson retained her seat by only one vote. Reps. Justin J. Pearson of Memphis and Justin Jones of Nashville, both Black, have been oexpelled. Johnson is White and remains a member of the state legislatrue by a vote of 65-30.
Johnson has vowed to continue the fight.
Jones, who initiated a gun control protest, beleives race was a factor in his removal telling MSNBC's Joy Anne Reid, “I basically had a member call me an uppity Negro,” after the 72-25 vote that expelled him.
The 28-year-old Pearson was kicked out by a vote 69-26.
The "Tennessee Three" landed in trouble for banding together to interrupt a session days after a gunman fired 157 rounds, killing 3 children and 3 adults at the Covemant Presbyterian school in Nashville. Their protest, which involved using a bullhorn when speaking at the podium without approval, had already cost them committee assignments and keyed access to the Capitol.
The resolution read at the opening of the proceedings stated that they knowingly brought “disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives”
In his defense, Jones said in a floor speech that the effort to remove him was an attempt to silence the voices of the 78,000 constituents who sent him to the state legislature. After the decision he said democracy has vanished from Tennessee.
The actions taken in the assembly at the state capitol on April 6 has alarming implicationsf for Democrtats holding office throughout the country. The decision to remove members of the opposing party was fully partisan, affirmed by sheer numbers. This leaves no room for checks and balances or any semblance of a Democratic process. It sends the message that the controlling caucus can manipulate rules in their favor and in this case, it would satisfy Republicans' desire to table discussions about gun reform until next year.
All three of the members of the House of Representatives were minorities politically as well as either by race or sex. Their removal further shrunk the already small minority caucus. Johnson is one of 11 women in the general assembly. The loss of Jones and Pearson brings the total number of Black state lawmakers to 13.
Onfriday the White hsue said Vice president harris planned to meet iwth th Tennessee Three.
Republican Gov. Bill Lee introduced a $205 million plan that would fund providing armed security guards at schools but has not proposed gun restrictions.made no direct reference to restrictions The Governor of Tennessee was not present at a meeting with Pres. Joe Biden to discuss how to hold gun manufatureres accountable on Thursday. In the immediate aftermath of the school shooting tragesy, gun control measures have involved providing more guns, such as the recommendation that teachers are armed in the school that has yet to reach the Senate for a vote.
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