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Three Tennessee Democrats may face expulsion after calls for gun control Lawmakers expelled: What to know about the 'Tennessee Three'
(1 day later)
Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson and Justin Pearson, all Democrats, led chants from the House floor calling on colleagues to pass gun control legislationTennessee State Representatives Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson and Justin Pearson, all Democrats, led chants from the House floor calling on colleagues to pass gun control legislation
Tennessee's House of Representatives has begun debate on the expulsion of three Democratic lawmakers for joining gun control demonstrations last week. Tennessee's House of Representatives has expelled two Democratic lawmakers for leading gun control demonstrations from the House floor.
Republicans accused the trio of Democrats of disruption after they led protests from the House floor. Republicans accused three Democratic representatives of bringing "disorder and dishonour to the House".
The looming vote - a rare and dramatic measure - comes one week after a school shooting in Nashville left six dead, inspiring protests at the statehouse. Expelling lawmakers from their elected positions is an exceptionally rare move in state legislatures.
The vote follows a fractious day in the Republican-controlled chamber. Thursday's votes made the expulsions even more controversial when House Republicans chose to expel two black representatives but not the third Democrat, a white woman.
For hours, in the run-up to the vote, members of both parties traded barbs as they debated proposed legislation. The three members facing expulsion - Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson - entered the chamber together holding hands, their fists raised. Here are the key things to know:
Just outside, protesters - including young students and their parents - crowded the halls of the statehouse, where they have gathered for days to call for stricter gun laws. Who are the 'Tennessee Three?'
Democratic representatives Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson joined demonstrators gathered at the statehouse on 30 March to demand stricter gun control laws. The three entered the House chamber during the protest and led chants from the lectern, disrupting proceedings.
The protest came just days after six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting at Covenant School in Nashville.
During the protest, Mr Jones held a sign that read "protect kids, not guns", and also led protest chants, shouting "no action, no peace" into a megaphone.
Dubbed the "Tennessee Three", the three Democrats represent about 200,000 constituents in Tennessee.
More than a thousand students staged a school walk-out on Monday to demand stricter gun laws
What happened to them?
Mr Jones and Ms Johnson were stripped of their committee assignments by the Republican leadership after the disruption. Mr Pearson did not serve on a committee.
Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the state, then filed a resolution to expel the three Democrats from their seats in the state legislature for "disorderly behaviour".
The resolution said the three brought "disorder and dishonour to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions".
In the run-up to the vote on Thursday, members of both parties traded barbs as they debated proposed legislation.
Mr Jones, Ms Johnson and Mr Pearson entered the chamber together holding hands, their fists raised. Just outside, protesters - including young students and their parents - crowded the halls of the statehouse, where they had gathered for days calling for stricter gun laws.
"We protect the Tennessee Three!" they shouted, referring to the Democrats. "Justin! Justin! Gloria!""We protect the Tennessee Three!" they shouted, referring to the Democrats. "Justin! Justin! Gloria!"
Six people, including three children, were killed in the 27 March shooting at Tennessee's Covenant School. By the end of the day, Mr Jones and Mr Pearson, both black and known by many as The Justins, had been expelled by House Republicans. Ms Johnson, who is white, avoided expulsion by a single vote.
Days after, on 30 March, Ms Johnson, Mr Jones and Mr Pearson interrupted House proceedings to join the protesters gathered at the statehouse. Is expulsion permanent?
During the protest, Mr Jones held a sign that read "protect kids, not guns", and also led protest chants, shouting "no action, no peace" into a megaphone. Collectively, the three Democrats represent about 200,000 constituents in Tennessee.
Mr Jones and Ms Johnson were stripped of their committee assignments in the aftermath by the Republican leadership. Mr Pearson did not serve on any committee.
Tennessee House of Representatives have begun debate on a resolution filed by the Republican leadership to expel the three Democrats from their seats in the state legislature for "disorderly behaviour".
The resolution to expel the lawmakers says they brought "disorder and dishonour to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions".
Expulsion votes are exceptionally rare. In Tennessee, the House of Representatives has only voted twice since the Civil War to expel a member - one for a sitting lawmaker who was convicted of soliciting a bribe, and another for a majority whip who was facing allegations of sexual misconduct.Expulsion votes are exceptionally rare. In Tennessee, the House of Representatives has only voted twice since the Civil War to expel a member - one for a sitting lawmaker who was convicted of soliciting a bribe, and another for a majority whip who was facing allegations of sexual misconduct.
When it does occur, an expulsion does not necessarily mean the end of a state representative's career.
The expelled representative's district must choose an interim replacement until an election can be held. No rules prevent the council from appointing the expelled member back to the House in an interim capacity.
In this case of expulsion, Tennessee law requires a special election to be called to elect a permanent representative. Expelled representatives are not prohibited from running again, so voters could conceivably send Mr Jones and Mr Pearson back to the statehouse to finish out their term as fully elected members safely.
Tennessee's constitution does not allow members to be expelled twice for the same offence.
At least one of those outcomes appears likely - as soon as next week.
The vice mayor from Mr Jones' district has called a meeting on Monday to begin the process of nominating an interim replacement. That process usually takes about four weeks, but if the council decides to suspend its rules, a vote could be held that night, according to Axios. Several council members have already pledged to appoint Mr Jones.
Should Mr Jones and Mr Pearson choose to run for re-election, fundraising efforts are already underway. A GoFundMe page for the "Tennessee Three" raised $41,206 (£33,175) in three days.
What did Republicans say?
Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who voted in favour of the expulsion, argued the move is not about the right to protest, but rather about maintaining order in the legislature.
"Their actions are and will always be unacceptable, and they break several rules of decorum and procedure on the House floor," Mr Sexton wrote on Twitter.
"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."
In response to the school shooting, Tennessee's Republican Governor Bill Lee proposed $155m to place an armed security guard at every public school in Tennessee and to boost security presence at both public and private schools.
What have critics said?
The move has been criticised by Tennessee's branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as an "extreme measure".The move has been criticised by Tennessee's branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as an "extreme measure".
"Trying to expel three lawmakers without due process for amplifying the voices of their constituents in a peaceful, non-violent manner undermines democracy," said Kathy Sinback, the executive director of Tennessee's ACLU in a statement."Trying to expel three lawmakers without due process for amplifying the voices of their constituents in a peaceful, non-violent manner undermines democracy," said Kathy Sinback, the executive director of Tennessee's ACLU in a statement.
Ms Johnson said an expulsion vote would have a "chilling effect" on states beyond Tennessee.Ms Johnson said an expulsion vote would have a "chilling effect" on states beyond Tennessee.
"This is chipping away at our democracy, there's no question, because everybody's going to wonder, 'am I next?'" Ms Johnson told Politico."This is chipping away at our democracy, there's no question, because everybody's going to wonder, 'am I next?'" Ms Johnson told Politico.
Republican House speaker Cameron Sexton, who said he will vote in favour of the expulsion, argued the move is not about the right to protest, but rather about maintaining order in the legislature. US President Biden reacted to the expulsions on Thursday, saying, "Today's expulsion of lawmakers who engaged in peaceful protest is shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent."
"Their actions are and will always be unacceptable, and they break several rules of decorum and procedure on the House floor," Mr Sexton wrote on Twitter. What happened in the Nashville Covenant school shooting?
"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."
Two-thirds of the House must vote in favour of the expulsion in order for it to pass.
More than a thousand students staged a school walk-out on Monday to demand stricter gun laws
Following last week's protest, a national demonstration calling for stricter gun laws took place on Wednesday, where students across the US staged a school walk-out in light of the Nashville shooting.
"We want to get a good education, but we can't if we're getting put at harm by just going to school," Ellie Holmes, a high school student in Colorado, told BBC's US news partner CBS.
The protests come amid the release of new details on the Covenant School shooting by Nashville police, who said on Monday that the shooter fired 152 rounds and that the attack was planned "over a period of months".
Three staff members of The Covenant School- Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Michael Hill, 61 - were killed, along with three nine-year-old students: Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney.
Police have identified the shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, a former student at the private Christian school.
A manifesto by the shooter had been recovered by police, but they have yet to determine a motive.
They added that Hale "acted totally alone", and that the shooter had considered carrying out other mass murders.
Hale was killed after a confrontation with police 14 minutes after the shooting began.
Funeral proceedings for the victims began on Friday and continued into Wednesday.
The shooting has once again ignited a heated political debate in the US on gun laws and safety.
Survivor of Illinois shooting makes angry plea in NashvilleSurvivor of Illinois shooting makes angry plea in Nashville
Survivor of Illinois shooting makes angry plea in NashvilleSurvivor of Illinois shooting makes angry plea in Nashville
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has called for a ban on assault weapons. Six people - three children and three staff - were killed in a shooting by an ex-student at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, on 27 March.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, proposed $155m (£120m) to place an armed security guard at every public school in Tennessee and to boost security presence at both public and private schools. Three staff members of The Covenant School - Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Michael Hill, 61 - were killed, along with three nine-year-old students: Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney.
Police identified the shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, a former student at the private Christian school.
They said the shooter fired 152 rounds and that the attack was planned "over a period of months". A manifesto by the shooter was recovered by police, but they have yet to determine a motive.
Police added that Hale "acted totally alone", and that the shooter had considered carrying out other mass murders.
Hale was killed after a confrontation with police 14 minutes after the shooting began.
The shooting once again ignited a heated political debate in the US on gun laws and safety.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
US gun violenceUS gun violence
NashvilleNashville
TennesseeTennessee
United StatesUnited States