Three Democratic lawmakers in the Tennessee House of Representatives who took part in pro-gun control protests in the state capitol have reportedly been stripped of their committee assignments and now face being removed from the legislature.
Reps. Justin Jones (D-Nashville), Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis), and Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) participated in demonstrations for tighter gun control laws in the state capitol on March 30.
House Republicans later condemned the lawmakers’ “disorderly behavior” and House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) called for a 30-minute recess during Thursday’s incident, according to the publication.
‘Disorder and Dishonor’
The resolution goes on to state that all lawmakers must comply with the rules of the Tennessee House including “preserving order, adhering to decorum, speaking only with recognition, not crowding around the Clerk’s desk, avoiding personalities, and not using props or displaying political messages.”It states that the three did knowingly and intentionally bring “disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives” through their individual and collective actions over a roughly one-hour period.
Republicans voted Monday that the House expedite the process and vote on the resolutions to expel the three members on Thursday, although they will likely have a chance to defend their actions during the Senate session.
Sexton has already stripped the Democrats of their committee assignments, and Republicans voted to revoke their ID badges, restricting their access to the legislature, according to Newsweek.
“Just handed this on the House floor, but they still have to vote. We’ll not be intimidated. THE PEOPLE are demanding we act to stop kids from being murdered in school,” Jones wrote alongside the photo, using the hashtag #goodtrouble.
Democrats’ Actions a ‘Distraction’
In a tweet on Monday, Sexton said the actions of the three Democrats “are and will always be unacceptable, and they break several rules of decorum and procedure on the House floor.”“Their actions and beliefs that they could be arrested on the House floor were an effort, unfortunately, to make themselves the victims,” Sexton said. “In effect, those actions took away the voices of the protestors, the focus on the six victims who lost their lives, and the families who lost their loved ones.”
The Republican added that the House has “always welcomed peaceful protestors to the capitol to have their voices heard on any issue” but that it cannot “allow the actions of the three members to distract us from protecting our children. ”
The Epoch Times has reached out to Sexton and the three lawmakers for further comment.
Jones was temporarily banned from the Tennessee Capitol in 2019 after throwing a cup of coffee at then-House Speaker Glen Casada (R-Williamson) and other lawmakers while protesting against the bust of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest being inside the Capitol. At the time, Jones was working as an activist and not a Tennesse representative.