Content warning: This story mentions gun violence and mass shootings. Tennessee’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted on April 6 to expel two Black lawmakers, signaling an unprecedented time in U.S. history, after three of the representatives protested a week prior over gun safety laws.
In the aftermath of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, hundreds of protestors gathered at the Tennessee state capitol on March 30 to actively voice their concerns. Protestors called for stricter gun control laws and more outreach for elected officials on gun violence prevention. Protesters were seen chanting, “Save our Children!” inside and outside the Senate chambers, according to CBS News.
Three Tennessee lawmakers, Reps. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, Justin Jones of Nashville, and Justin Pearson of Memphis, used a bullhorn to chant “Power to the People” in the House to show support for the protestors, resulting in a brief shutdown inside.
The expulsion vote lasted seven hours, with Jones receiving a 72-25 vote, while Pearson received a 69-26 vote. A two-thirds majority of the House’s total membership is required for expulsion.
Rep. Gloria Johnson narrowly avoided expulsion by a one-vote margin of 65-30, which became a topic of discussion because of the representatives’ ethnicities. According to CNN, Johnson, a white woman, emphasized the reason she survived the expulsion while Jones and Pearson did not “might have to do with the color of our skin.”
In an interview with Morning Edition on April 7, Jones, who is Black-Filipino, agreed with Johnson’s theory that the Tennessee House decision was based on racial bias and undertones, stating that the expulsion was “[A] consequence of a body that wants to suppress not just our vote, but the votes of our districts that are majority Black and brown. … I represent one of the most diverse districts in Tennessee, and so now those 78,000 people have been silenced.”
Expulsion votes are rarely seen in U.S. history, with the last known expulsion of members of the House in Tennessee occurring with only three expulsion votes since the Civil War.
Expulsion does not necessarily preclude the representative from being re-elected to their positions. According to the BBC, “In this case of expulsion, Tennessee law requires a special election to be called to elect a permanent representative.” Expelled representatives are not barred from running again, so voters could send Jones and Pearson to complete their terms as fully elected members.
Many high-ranking officials have spoken out against the expulsion decision, including current U.S. President Joe Biden, who stated in a press release on April 6, “Today’s expulsion of lawmakers who engaged in peaceful protest is shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent.” The statement continues, “Rather than debating the merits of the issue, these Republican lawmakers have chosen to punish, silence, and expel duly-elected representatives of the people of Tennessee.”
Former President Barack Obama expressed concern, saying that the decision to expel Tennessee lawmakers was a “sign of weakness” and that silencing voices would not lead to progress in our country. In a tweet, he says, “This nation was built on peaceful protest.” No elected official should lose their job simply for raising their voice — especially when they’re doing it on behalf of our children. He continues in the thread: “What happened in Tennessee is the latest example of a broader erosion of civility and democratic norms. Silencing those who disagree with us is a sign of weakness, not strength, and it won’t lead to progress.”