Tennessee GOP Moves To Expel 3 Democrats Who Aided In Storming Of Capitol
Last week, a group of anti-Second Amendment rioters stormed the Tennessee Capitol building — where three Democrat state representatives joined them, and even led chants while disrupting the floor session. Now, these lawmakers are facing expulsion.
Many conservatives shared footage of the radical leftist activists storming the building, comparing it to the January 6 Capitol protests while mockingly using the rhetoric of the Democrats and the mainstream media to highlight their hypocrisy regarding the reaction to this demonstration.
“This is a very dark day for democracy in the state of Tennessee. I’m literally shaking right now. I can’t believe this is happening,” mocked Collin Rugg, co-owner of Trending Politics.
It was soon revealed that three state lawmakers — Reps. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) — joined the roughly 400 activists, essentially encouraging the storming of the Tennessee Capitol building by leading chants with a bullhorn and disrupting the floor session.
Now, Tennessee Republicans have moved to expel the three Democrat lawmakers over their actions. On Thursday, the legislature will hold a final vote on whether to remove the Democrats.
White House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) has already kicked Johnson, Jones and Pearson off of their committees — he told the Daily Wire in a Tuesday phone interview that more accountability would be coming in the near future.
“Here in Tennessee on Thursday, we’re gonna hold these three individuals accountable,” Sexton said.
“Their actions deserved to be disciplined, and what they did was a breach of House rules, they need to be held accountable,” he added. “What they did on the House floor I have not seen happen in Tennessee or heard about.”
Sexton also noted that he believes the three Democrats wanted to be arrested and wanted to gain attention, stating that the disruption was “planned.”
During the demonstration against gun rights last week, the three Democrat lawmakers went unrecognized to the “well” — the area on the House floor where lawmakers speak. There, they took out a bullhorn and started leading the activists in chants.
Speaking with the Daily Wire, Republican House Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) pointed out that the storming of the Tennessee Capitol was unprecedented.
“It’s never been that three state representatives attempted to incite a riot in the middle of the House floor. It’s dangerous, it’s inappropriate, and it silences the other 96 members,” Lamberth said.
Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville) filed the resolution against Jones, where he argued that he and the other two Democrat lawmakers “knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.”
Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) filed a similar resolution against Johnson, while Rep. Bud Hulsey (R-Kingsport) filed one against Pearson.
“The basis for the resolutions is that they actually disrupted proceedings in the House,” Bulso told the Daily Wire, explaining that the Democrat lawmakers had broken House rules.
Bulso also noted that Republicans would have the votes necessary to expel the Democrat lawmakers.
“They were both inside and outside the chamber, agitating all those who showed up,” Bulso added. “These three made a decision that they were going to go ahead and focus all the attention on themselves. They were agitating and inciting the crowds outside the chamber.”
The gun control demonstration stemmed from the recent mass shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, where a 28-year-old biologically female “transgender man” shot and killed three children and three adults. Democrats, including these activists, immediately jumped to calling for restrictions on Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
Meanwhile, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has proposed a measure to provide funding for both public and private schools in Tennessee to hire armed guards, which is a policy that many conservatives have long advocated for in response to these tragedies. Lee also reiterated his support for legislation to increase security measures in schools across the state.
Lamberth expressed support for the Republican governor’s proposals, stating that he was confident the school security reforms will pass in the legislature.
“I want the notice to go forth, loud and clear, that any evil person that is bent on trying to harm our children in Tennessee, if you come at one of our schools here, we are going to have enough security around our schools that that evil person will be dead before they hit the front door,” the Republican House Leader told the Daily Wire.
