Tennessee GOP state lawmakers seek to expel three Democrats after they violated House rules during an anti-gun rights protest.
During last Thursday’s protest, held just days after a transgender man massacred six people, including three children, at a Christian school in Nashville, state Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson “broke decorum rules when they approached the House chamber lectern without being recognized to speak, whipped out a bullhorn, and participated with protesters who shouted from the chamber galleries.”
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican, subsequently characterized the protest as an “insurrection.”
The Blaze reported that GOP lawmakers introduced formal resolutions to expel Johnson, Jones, and Pearson from the legislature on Monday.
The resolution asserts that expulsion is warranted because the Democrats “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.”
Related: Video: Chaos As Protesters, Lawmakers At Tennessee State Capitol Cause Temporary Shutdown
The trio was also stripped of their committee assignments and had their access to the Capitol revoked.
The Democrats claimed that Republicans refused to let them speak last week, and thus had no choice but to join a protest that, The Blaze reported, “overwhelmed” Tennessee’s Capitol building.
The outlet also reported that Democrats lack the votes to block the expulsions, which are set to be debated on Thursday.
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