Tennessee State Lawmakers Take Dramatic Action – Expel 2 Dems

Republican Tennessee state lawmakers have taken the dramatic step of expelling two Democrats from the state House. On Thursday, Republicans voted to expel Rep. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson from the chamber over their…

Bradley CortrightApr 7, 20233 min read

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However, there are some big differences. The protesters in Tennessee went through metal detectors and were not smashing windows and doors and battling with police to get into the building seeking to throw out the votes legally cast by millions of their fellow citizens.

This vote is just ridiculous and a blatant example of power politics. Republicans in Tennessee had the votes and the ability to expel two of the three lawmakers so they did.

It is a drastic action. To underscore how rare it is for members to be expelled in the state, it has only happened there three times before. Once in 1866 for “the contempt of the authority of this House,” again in 1980 after a lawmaker accepted a bribe, and again in 2016 after a lawmaker was accused of sexual misconduct.

Republicans in the legislature could have given these three a slap on the wrist and warned them against such actions before taking this explosive action.

The Democratic lawmakers could have been fined, censured, or sternly rebuked. This was an unnecessary and unwise dramatic escalation.

These lawmakers were duly elected by their constituents in Tennessee to represent them. And Republicans kicked them out because they were mad at a noisy, disruptive protest.

It certainly will not help fight back against allegations Republicans are racist. Jones and Pearson are both Black. Johnson is white. And already she is suggesting she survived the vote because of her race and age. Republicans could have defused some of that criticism by making sure they had all the votes to expel the three lawmakers before rushing forward.

This incident sets a horrific precedent. Democrats, in states where they have supermajorities in state legislatures, might decide to start expelling Republicans for whatever violation or perceived violation they see.