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Tennessee House Expulsions: What You Need to Know Tennessee House Expulsions: What You Need to Know
(about 4 hours later)
In the wake of a school shooting in Nashville that left six people dead, three Democratic lawmakers took to the floor of the Republican-controlled Tennessee House chamber in late March to rally for stricter gun control.In the wake of a school shooting in Nashville that left six people dead, three Democratic lawmakers took to the floor of the Republican-controlled Tennessee House chamber in late March to rally for stricter gun control.
On April 6, two of the lawmakers, Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, were expelled from the House, a dramatic act of political retribution. The third lawmaker, Representative Gloria Johnson, narrowly avoided expulsion by one vote. In a dramatic act of political retribution, Republicans moved to expel the three Democrats from the legislature, and on April 6 two of them, Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, were ousted in votes that passed largely along party lines. The third lawmaker, Representative Gloria Johnson, narrowly avoided expulsion by one vote.
Four days later, the Metropolitan Nashville Council unanimously voted to temporarily appoint Mr. Jones back to the seat, and within an hour he had returned to take his place in the General Assembly. The extraordinary punitive action for an act of protest was just the third time since the Civil War era that the Tennessee House had expelled a lawmaker from its ranks. It sparked outrage among Democrats, including President Biden, who called the Republicans’ moves “shocking” and “undemocratic.”
With two House seats left vacant, the authority to name temporary replacements fell to the local governing bodies in the districts that had been represented by Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson.
Only four days after the expulsions, the Metropolitan Nashville Council unanimously voted to appoint Mr. Jones back to the seat, in a pointed rebuke to the G.O.P. On Wednesday, the Shelby County Commission was set to hold an emergency meeting to decide whether to send Mr. Pearson back, too.
Here’s what you need to know.Here’s what you need to know.
Hundreds of students, parents and teachers have marched to the State Capitol since the Covenant School shooting on March 27 and have held demonstrations at the Capitol to demand action by the legislature to toughen gun laws.Hundreds of students, parents and teachers have marched to the State Capitol since the Covenant School shooting on March 27 and have held demonstrations at the Capitol to demand action by the legislature to toughen gun laws.
Three days later, Representatives Jones, Pearson and Johnson — whose districts are in Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, the state’s three largest cities — interrupted the legislature by chanting “No action, no peace” on the House floor. Legislative proceedings were forced to a halt. The Republicans who control state government, led by Gov. Bill Lee, have largely rejected the calls for tighter gun laws and have focused instead on toughening school security. Mr. Lee has signaled his openness to measures that would allow the authorities to confiscate guns from those who are deemed by a judge to be at risk of harming themselves or others.
On March 30, Representatives Jones, Pearson and Johnson — whose districts are in Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, the state’s three largest cities — interrupted the legislature by chanting “No action, no peace” on the House floor. Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson, two of the youngest Black lawmakers in the chamber, had also used a bullhorn to engage with supporters in the galleries, and legislative proceedings were forced to a halt.
The speaker of the House, Cameron Sexton, responded by comparing the three lawmakers to the rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol in 2021. He called their actions “unacceptable” and a violation of House rules of decorum and procedure. By April 3, he had revoked their ID access to the State Capitol building and had stripped two of the three lawmakers of their committee assignments.The speaker of the House, Cameron Sexton, responded by comparing the three lawmakers to the rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol in 2021. He called their actions “unacceptable” and a violation of House rules of decorum and procedure. By April 3, he had revoked their ID access to the State Capitol building and had stripped two of the three lawmakers of their committee assignments.
The protests over gun policy continued. Demonstrators flooded the building again on April 6 morning before the expulsion votes, with loud chants of “Gun control now” and “Not one more” outside the House chamber. Inside, dozens of protesters held up fists and signs in support of gun control and the three Democrats, but they remained silent to avoid being ejected from the galleries. Republicans then filed individual resolutions to formally expel each of the three Democrats. In each resolution, Republicans charged that the lawmaker “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor” to the House and “generally engaged in disorderly and disruptive conduct.” The measures did not cite any other consequence of the protests.
The Republicans who control state government, led by Gov. Bill Lee, have rejected the calls for tighter gun laws and have largely focused instead on toughening school security. The same day as the expulsions, the Tennessee House passed a bill that would require schools to conduct annual drills, keep all entrance doors locked and install a mobile panic-alert system. On April 6, the House held separate votes on the three resolutions. Protesters again flooded the Capitol, and their chants of “Gun control now” and “Not one more” were deafening outside the House chamber.
The three Democratic lawmakers spoke out against the measure, with Mr. Jones calling it a “white flag of surrender” that does not address the root causes of gun violence. After hours of deeply personal, angry and at times condescending debate, the votes to expel Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson passed largely along party lines, with the Republican supermajority voting overwhelmingly for expulsion.
Ms. Johnson survived: The chamber voted 65 to 30 to remove her, falling one vote short.
After the final vote, the crowds in the galleries burst into angry yells and cries of “Shame on you” with fists held high.
Seven Republicans had joined Democrats in voting against the expulsion of Ms. Johnson. Asked why she thought she had survived the expulsion vote, Ms. Johnson, who is white, said, “It might have to do with the color of my skin.”
Mr. Pearson, crowded by supporters after he was ejected and yelling over the sound of demonstrators, said: “You cannot ignore the racial dynamic of what happened today — two young Black lawmakers get expelled and the one white woman does not.”
Republican leaders, speaking to reporters afterward, denied that race played a factor in the decision and pointedly noted that the majority of their conference was still in favor of expelling Ms. Johnson.
Ms. Johnson, who represents parts of Knoxville, is the most senior of the three; she was first elected to the House for the 2013-2014 term. A former teacher, she was elected again in 2018. After redistricting following the 2020 census, she moved to avoid having to contest the seat of another Democratic member.Ms. Johnson, who represents parts of Knoxville, is the most senior of the three; she was first elected to the House for the 2013-2014 term. A former teacher, she was elected again in 2018. After redistricting following the 2020 census, she moved to avoid having to contest the seat of another Democratic member.
Mr. Jones, 27, is one of the youngest members of the House. He won election in November to represent parts of Nashville. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, he made a name for himself locally as a community organizer. He has held sit-ins in the State Capitol and, in the summer of 2020, led a 61-day protest against racial injustice outside the building that included demands for the removal of a bust of a Confederate general.Mr. Jones, 27, is one of the youngest members of the House. He won election in November to represent parts of Nashville. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, he made a name for himself locally as a community organizer. He has held sit-ins in the State Capitol and, in the summer of 2020, led a 61-day protest against racial injustice outside the building that included demands for the removal of a bust of a Confederate general.
Mr. Pearson, 28, won a special election by a landslide in January to represent parts of Memphis. A native of the city and graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, he is the son of an educator and a preacher. Mr. Pearson gained prominence when he successfully opposed a crude oil pipeline proposed for South Memphis.Mr. Pearson, 28, won a special election by a landslide in January to represent parts of Memphis. A native of the city and graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, he is the son of an educator and a preacher. Mr. Pearson gained prominence when he successfully opposed a crude oil pipeline proposed for South Memphis.
In interviews, all three lawmakers spoke of how gun violence — and in some instances, their personal experiences of it — had helped shape their paths to politics. Mr. Pearson recounted the pain of losing family members and a mentor to gun violence, and said the push for tighter restrictions on firearms “is personal when you lose your friends, when you lose loved ones.”In interviews, all three lawmakers spoke of how gun violence — and in some instances, their personal experiences of it — had helped shape their paths to politics. Mr. Pearson recounted the pain of losing family members and a mentor to gun violence, and said the push for tighter restrictions on firearms “is personal when you lose your friends, when you lose loved ones.”
Mr. Jones recalled attending his first protests after Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Black teenager, was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida. “This issue is something that has been a part of our generation,” he said. “This is a very personal issue.”Mr. Jones recalled attending his first protests after Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Black teenager, was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida. “This issue is something that has been a part of our generation,” he said. “This is a very personal issue.”
Ms. Johnson recalled a shooting at Central High School in Knoxville that took place while she was still working as a teacher, and “the terror on the kids’ faces as they were running down that hill into my classroom.”Ms. Johnson recalled a shooting at Central High School in Knoxville that took place while she was still working as a teacher, and “the terror on the kids’ faces as they were running down that hill into my classroom.”
Three Republican state representatives — Andrew Farmer, Gino Bulso and Bud Hulsey — filed individual resolutions on April 3 to formally expel each of the three Democrats. Hours later, a procedural vote easily cleared the chamber, despite Democratic opposition. Ultimately, special elections will be held to fill the seats of the expelled lawmakers. Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson are able to run again in the elections, and both have said they will.
In each resolution, Republicans charge that the lawmaker “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor” to the House and “generally engaged in disorderly and disruptive conduct.” The measures do not cite any other consequence of the protests. For the period before the special elections, the local governing bodies in each district have the power to appoint temporary representatives.
A two-thirds vote of the 99-seat House is required to expel a member. The Republicans have the necessary supermajority to pass the expulsion resolutions. On Monday, four days after the expulsions, the Metropolitan Council, which oversees Nashville and the surrounding county, voted unanimously to send Mr. Jones back to his seat. He was quickly sworn in on the steps of the State Capitol, without ever missing a full floor session.
Three days later, the House voted to oust Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson. Ms. Johnson survived: The chamber voted 65 to 30 to remove her, falling one vote short. The Shelby County Commission was set to meet Wednesday on the question of whether to appoint Mr. Pearson back.
Special elections will be held to fill the seats of the expelled lawmakers. Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson will be able to run again in the elections and be re-elected to their seats.
But local governing bodies in each district can appoint temporary representatives — who could even be the expelled lawmakers themselves — to hold the seats until the special elections are held.
On April 10, four days after the expulsions, the Metropolitan Council, which oversees Nashville and the surrounding county, voted unanimously to send Mr. Jones back to his seat. He was quickly sworn in on the steps of the State Capitol, without ever missing a full floor session.
The Shelby County Commission was set to hold an emergency meeting on April 12 to decide whether to send Mr. Pearson back.
Expulsions of lawmakers from state legislatures have been rare in American history.
Six lawmakers were expelled from the Tennessee House in 1866, immediately after the Civil War, for seeking to prevent the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship to formerly enslaved people. Since then, the House of Representatives in Tennessee has voted only twice to oust a lawmaker. Both votes were bipartisan: in 1980, after a sitting lawmaker was convicted of soliciting a bribe, and in 2016, after the House majority whip faced allegations of sexual misconduct while in office.
Across the country, most expulsion cases have involved state lawmakers who faced criminal charges or accusations of sexual misconduct. An Arkansas lawmaker, Mickey Gates, was expelled in 2019 for failing to pay taxes; a Colorado lawmaker, Steve Lebsock, was expelled in 2018 after facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment.
In 2021, a four-term Republican lawmaker, Mike Nearman, became the first person ever expelled from the Oregon House after he let armed demonstrators into the locked State Capitol and was charged with official misconduct.
That same year, the Ohio House expelled Larry Householder, who had been arrested and charged in a $60 million corruption scheme while serving as House speaker. It was the first time an Ohio lawmaker had been expelled since 1857, when a member was removed for punching another member.
In 1920, the New York State Assembly expelled five Socialist lawmakers — the party’s entire delegation. No other lawmaker was expelled in the state for nearly a century, until the State Senate expelled Hiram Monserrate in 2010 after he was convicted of misdemeanor assault.
Sheelagh McNeill contributed research.Sheelagh McNeill contributed research.