Tennessee Expels First of Three Democrat Reps. After Anti-Gun “Insurrection” at State Capitol

Last week, gun control protests by Tennessee Democrats spilled over into the state Capitol building, leading to the expulsion of one of the three Democratic lawmakers by the House of Representatives. State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) was ousted in a 72-25 vote for inciting protesters to disrupt deliberations on the House floor after a mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville left three adults and three children dead. Tennessee’s Republican-controlled government also threatened to take action against two other lawmakers involved in the protests, Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), who was unexpectedly spared in a 65-30 vote, and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), who is still under review.

The “Tennessee three” led hundreds of peaceful protesters, including students, parents, and teachers, into the state Capitol building to demand stricter gun laws. The lawmakers admitted they broke the House’s decorum rules and were stripped of their committee assignments and lost ID access to the Capitol. The expulsion of Jones and the possible expulsion of the other two lawmakers caught the attention of President Biden, who criticized the GOP’s use of power to silence peaceful protests.

The Tennessee House Speaker, Cameron Sexton, drew a comparison between the protest and the 2021 US Capitol riot, calling it an “insurrection.” However, there were no clashes with police, injuries, or property damage. Despite the protests, the GOP has shown no interest in enacting new gun restrictions or legislation, except for bills that would seek to take firearms away from those deemed to be a risk to themselves or others.

In the past, only a handful of other members have been expelled from the Tennessee House since the Civil War. The two other Democratic representatives may be replaced by representatives chosen by county commissioners in their districts. Those representatives would then serve until a special election, in which the ousted lawmakers could still run.

The Covenant School shooting was carried out by Audrey “Aiden” Hale, who identified as transgender and was being treated for an emotional disorder.