- Tennessee state Representative Joe Towns a Democrat, lashed out at his GOP colleagues as they debated a vote to expel three Democratic representatives from the House.
- Republicans introduced a motion to play a seven-minute video of the three lawmakers from last week. The trio had chanted “No action, no peace” in support of greater gun control following the Nashville school shooting that killed six.
- “Give them an opportunity to defend themselves fairly, but not with their hands tied behind their back, not with duct tape on their mouths,” Towns said in reaction to the GOP’s video motion.
Tennessee state Representative Joe Towns, a Democrat, laid into his GOP colleagues on the House floor Thursday as state lawmakers prepared to expel a trio of Democrats from the chamber.
Towns slammed the Republicans for “stacking the deck” against Democratic Representatives Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson after Tennessee Republicans introduced a motion to play a seven-minute video of the three lawmakers from last week.
GOP legislators began debate on Thursday over whether to oust the trio for interrupting legislative proceedings a week ago by chanting “No action, no peace” in support of greater gun control—a move that came days after the March 27 Nashville school shooting that killed three children and three adults. Democratic lawmakers argued against the showing of the video, saying that legal counsel had not been able to view the footage beforehand.
It is highly anticipated that the ousting will be approved since Republicans control both the House and Senate. Approval by both chambers would make it the first partisan expulsion in the state’s modern history. Only two other House members have ever been ousted from the Tennessee chamber since the Civil War.
Speaking on the floor about the video, Towns said, “That is not fair…. That’s called an ambush. Sneaking behind the bush to hit somebody in the head with a brick.”
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He yelled, “We shouldn’t do our members like that because these members have been sent here by the people of Tennessee. Y’all know it’s not right…. Give them a fair chance.”
Towns went on: “Treat them like members, whether you like it or not. Give them an opportunity to defend themselves fairly, but not with their hands tied behind their back, not with duct tape on their mouths. Nobody likes a stacked deck.”
The move to expel the three Democrats has been widely criticized as political retribution that would force special elections to fill the vacancies, although those representatives would be allowed to run again.
“This is going to come back to haunt every member on this House floor,” Towns said ahead of a vote.
Republican lawmakers have filed resolutions accusing the three Democratic representatives of “disorderly behavior” and “knowingly and intentionally [bringing] disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives” with their chanting last Thursday.
GOP House Speaker Cameron Sexton said that by continuing to interrupt proceedings, the trio “decided that them being a victim was more important than focusing on the six victims from [the school shooting]. And that’s appalling.”
Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus previously told Newsweek that state Democrats are anticipating the expulsions to pass.
“Right now, we’re just in the stages of how do we navigate the legality of it after it happens,” Remus said. “And then, you know, getting either these representatives reelected to their roles or new Democrats elected to those same seats.”
If the Democrats are expelled, local governing bodies in each of the three districts would be able to appoint temporary representatives, who can even be the ousted Democrats, until a special election.
Newsweek reached out for comment to Sexton via an inquiry form on his campaign website.
