Three Democratic lawmakers who took part in protests on the House floor of the Tennessee statehouse will face expulsion later this week.
Earlier Monday, the three lawmakers were removed from their committee assignments and had their badges to the capitol deactivated.
Reps. Justin Jones, D-Nashville; Justin J. Pearson, D-Memphis; and Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, are facing discipline after supporting protesters pushing for more gun control at the capitol, days after the Covenant School shooting.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton had indicated there would be consequences for the trio.
In a press conference Monday, Jones says Sexton is more focused on politics than addressing last week’s mass shooting.
“We are members, who are standing in the well, telling our speakers and our colleagues that kids should not be murdered in school,” Jones said, “and rather than address that issue, the speaker has spent more time on Twitter this weekend talking about a fake insurrection than he did about the deaths of six people including 9-year-old children.”
The last lawmaker to be expelled was in 2022. Former Democratic Sen. Katrina Robinson was expelled after being convicted on wire fraud charges. The last Republican to face expulsion from the Legislature was in 2016. Ex-Rep. Jeremy Durham was kicked out over sexual harassment allegations.
