by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
According to information obtained through Google, only two Tennessee state representatives have been expelled from the legislature by their colleagues since the Civil War era. One was sent home for soliciting a bribe to block legislation in 1980, and the other was accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women in 2016. Both were expelled by wide margins in non-partisan votes. Today three more Tennessee state representatives may be added to that naughty list, but their expulsion votes are expected to be highly partisan.
Three members of the Tennessee State Legislature face expulsion from the state's House of Representatives later today for what their Republican colleagues are calling "disorderly behavior," and what they themselves see as exercise of their First Amendment right of free speech.
Last Thursday, in response to the shooting as a Nashville private school in which three nine-year-olds and three adults were killed, hundreds of Tennessans pushed their way into the gallery of the Tennessee House to protest and demand that legislators pass some gun control measures. Three Democratic representatives who were on the floor of the House took up bullhorns and led the demonstrators in chants. The GOP members of the House did not appreciate the spectacle nor did they seem to like their inaction on gun control being highlighted to the public.
Monday three Republican representatives filed three motions to expel the three representatives who had led the protests from the House. Their resolutions passed along party lines by a vote of 72-23. As that vote was taking place, more protesters in the House gallery were chanting "fascists" at the self-righteous Republicans, while others were outside protesting in the rain. The final vote to expel the three Democrats will take place this afternoon.
"The Tennessee Three" who will likely lose their seats in a vote later today are: Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, Justin Jones of Nashville, and Justin Pearson of Memphis.
The Tennessee House is in session today and with protesters seated in the gallery and present on the Capitol grounds. Some were bussed in from Memphis and Knoxville. House officials placed limits of the number of people who could come in, and those who made it into the gallery were reportedly denied re-entry to the gallery if they had to leave for any reason. The House plans to work its way through 29 other items of business before a vote is taken on expulsion. It all gives the appearance of being staged to cause as much discomfort to the protesters as possible.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol have a large presence inside of the building today and are working to maintain order. One of the protests going on outside of the Capitol features, drums. tambourine, and even a saxophone.
It seems to be a helluva day in Nashville, one that none of the legislators will soon forget! At this point about the only things missing are Mr. Scopes and his monkey!
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