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☆ Nashville-area board may send expelled Tennessee lawmaker back to statehouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Cheney OrrApril 10 (Reuters) - A Nashville-area county council may return to the statehouse one of two Democratic Tennessee lawmakers who were expelled from the chamber last week over a gun control protest when it meets on Monday to fill the vacant seat. Returning Jones would send a pointed message to the Republicans who accused him of violating decorum. On Wednesday, a Memphis-area board of commissioners will consider reappointing Pearson to the seat he was removed from. Jones and Pearson both said on Sunday they hoped to be reappointed and that they would run again in special elections. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Nashville on Friday to support the three Tennessee lawmakers targeted for expulsion.

☆ Nashville Officials Vote to Send Justin Jones Back to Tennessee House
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Mariah Timms | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Nashville officials vote to reinstate Justin Jones to the Tennessee House after he was expelled by Republicans over a gun control protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Metropolitan Council voted to reinstate Justin Jones back to his seat in the Tennessee House. Jones was ousted from the body over gun control protests alongside then-state Rep. Justin Pearson. The Shelby County Commission will meet on Wednesday to potentially reinstate Pearson to his seat. While Republicans voted to oust Jones and Pearson, they spared state Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, who had also joined her Democratic colleagues on the floor over the gun reform push. The removals of Jones and Pearson prompted an outcry across the country, including the White House.

☆ Tennessee state legislature has 'always been a toxic work environment,' according to ousted Black lawmakers who say they've had a' target' on them from the start
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two ousted Tennessee lawmakers said that the state legislature has always been "toxic." Former Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson told NBC News they've always had a "target" on them. Jones and Pearson were expelled last week by their GOP colleagues over their gun control protest. "It has always been a toxic work environment to work in the Tennessee State Capitol," Pearson said during an interview Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press" alongside Jones. Jones also accused the GOP-led Tennessee House of Representatives of being "more beholden to the NRA than their own people and their own districts" and specifically called out Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton.

☆ Nashville board reinstates Black lawmaker expelled from statehouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsNashville board reinstates Black lawmaker expelled from statehousePostedA Nashville-area county council on Monday (April 10) voted to reinstate Representative Justin Jones to the Tennessee House of Representatives, reversing Republican lawmakers who ousted Jones and another young, Black legislator last week for staging a gun control protest on the House floor.

REUTERS/Karen Pulfer FochtApril 9 (Reuters) - Two Tennessee Democrats who were expelled from the Republican-dominated state House of Representatives last week over their participation in a gun control protest said on Sunday that they hoped to soon reclaim their seats. Metro Council Member Kevin Rhoten said on Twitter that he had been bombarded with emails since Thursday asking him to vote to appoint Justin Jones for the District 52 seat, and that he planned to do that. "I would be honored to accept the appointment of the Shelby County Commission and to run in a special election," Pearson told NBC on Sunday. Videos posted to Twitter showed the two Black lawmakers, Representatives Jones and Pearson, shouting through a bullhorn on the House floor, saying "No action, no peace!" Only two other Tennessee state representatives have been expelled by their colleagues since the Civil War era: one in 1980 for soliciting a bribe in exchange for blocking legislation and another in 2016 after being accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women.

☆ CNN's Van Jones presses a GOP state lawmaker on the Tennessee House voting to expel 2 Black Democratic legislators over their push for gun restrictions: 'Why are you being so unreasonable?'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Van Jones last week pressed a Tennessee Republican over his caucus voting to oust two Democratic lawmakers. "You have not done this to anybody except for two people in 200 years," Jones told state Rep. Jeremy Faison. The GOP-led state House took the action after then-Reps. Jones and Pearson led a gun reform protest from the floor. Faison said he felt as though House Republicans followed the proper protocol. State Rep. Gloria Johnson, a white lawmaker who also joined the gun reform protest, was not expelled by House Republicans and remarked last week that "it's pretty clear" why she was spared.

☆ A Tennessee RNC member says vote to expel 2 Democratic lawmakers over a gun control protest hurt the GOP brand: 'You've energized young voters against us'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Republican National Committee member told The Times that ousting 2 Democratic lawmakers "didn't help" the GOP. Tennessee state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were removed from their positions by the GOP-led House. Brock argued that the party should have considered arguments from the lawmakers over gun reform. "You've energized young voters against us. Both Jones and Pearson can be reappointed to their seats, but special elections will also have to be set by the governor.

☆ Harris backs expelled Tennessee lawmakers, chides Republicans for ousting them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Cheney Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Republicans who control the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday expelled two young Black lawmakers who last week led protesters into the well of the House floor, while a resolution to remove a white representative came up one vote short. The Republicans ousted Justin Pearson, 28, of Memphis, and Justin Jones, 27, from the Nashville area. They staged the protest for gun reforms following the March 27 shooting at a Nashville school that killed three 9-year-old students and three adults. With a 75-23 advantage over Democrats in the House, Tennessee Republicans took the extraordinary measure to expel their Democratic colleagues, citing their disruption of orderly House business. Just two state lawmakers had previously been expelled since the U.S. Civil War.

☆ Harris visits Tennessee after lawmakers expelled over gun protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Cheney Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an address after the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel two Democratic members, representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, for their roles in a gun control demonstration at the Tennessee State Capitol, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., April 7, 2023. Just two state lawmakers had previously been expelled since the U.S. Civil War. Tennessee Representative Yusuf Hakeem, a Democrat, said Harris' visit showed "the White House is very interested and concerned in a meaningful way," adding that he does not expect protests to fade. Nearly 50 organizations, led by gun safety advocacy group the Newtown Action Alliance, called for nationwide student walkouts in solidarity with those in Tennessee. Members of the Tennessee General Assembly's Black Caucus at a news conference on Friday said Republicans had sunk to new lows.

☆ The GOP risks blowing its 2024 chances by enlisting fringe pols and pushing issues normal voters don't care about
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The New York Times reported Trump wanted to hire far-right xenophone Laura Loomer to his campaign. The potential hire shows how far the Republican Party has moved from the median voter. It's just another example of how out of touch the Republican Party has become with the average voter. The Republican Party has yet to win the popular vote in presidential elections since 2004. Should the party keep hiring oddballs and pursuing culture war issues while failing to address substantive issues affecting the country, it's unclear that will change.

[1/2] People exit the building after a vote on to expel two of three Democratic members for their role in a gun control demonstration at the statehouse last week, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., April 6, 2023. On Thursday, the Tennessee House of Representatives' Republican supermajority voted to remove Democratic Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two young Black legislators, over demonstrations pushing for stricter gun laws. On Thursday, President Joe Biden decried the expulsions of the state lawmakers on Twitter, calling them "shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent." The White House, which announced the trip, did not provide other details about the meeting, scheduled for Friday evening. Nearly 50 organizations, led by the gun safety advocacy group the Newtown Action Alliance, called for nationwide student walkouts in solidarity with those in Tennessee.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 6 (Reuters) - Republicans in control of the Tennessee House of Representatives expelled two Democratic representatives on Thursday for breaking decorum during a gun control demonstration at the statehouse last week in the wake of the latest school shooting. The resolution to oust a third Democratic member who stood with them during the protest on the House floor, Gloria Johnson, a white woman, came up one vote short. That protest came four days after a Nashville school shooting killed three 9-year-old children and three school staff members. [1/10] Protesters gather in the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., April 6, 2023. Johnson, Jones and Pearson have said that taking part in the protest was within their First Amendment rights - the constitutional right to freedom of speech.

☆ What Happens Next for Two Tennessee Democrats Expelled from State Legislature
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The two Democrats expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday vowed to keep pushing for gun-control legislation after Republicans punished them for “disorderly behavior” during a protest following a mass shooting. The former representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson , and their colleague, Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson , interrupted a House session for several minutes on March 30 to call on their Republican counterparts to act on gun control. Six people were killed in a mass shooting days earlier at a Nashville, Tenn., Christian school. The incident spurred thousands of residents to protest outside the state Capitol, where Republicans have voted to expand gun access in recent years.

☆ Rep. Gloria Johnson, who survived GOP's push to punish her, says it's 'pretty clear' why she was spared but 2 Black Democratic lawmakers were thrown out
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Gloria Johnson said it's "pretty clear" why two Black lawmakers were expelled from Tennessee's House of Representatives. Republicans kicked out Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones on Thursday night. Last Thursday, Johnson, along with Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, interrupted a House session to protest gun violence in the state. The Tennessee House voted 72-25 to expel Jones, with Pearson also expelled after a 69-26 vote, according to CNN. Johnson said both Jones and Pearson were spoken to "in a demeaning way" during Thursday's vote.

☆ Harris chides Tennessee Republicans for ousting state lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Cheney Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The Republicans ousted Justin Pearson, 28, of Memphis, and Justin Jones, 27, from the Nashville area. They staged the protest for gun reforms following the March 27 shooting at a Nashville school that killed three 9-year-old students and three adults. [1/7] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an address after the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel two Democratic members, representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, for their roles in a gun control demonstration at the Tennessee State Capitol, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., April 7, 2023. With a 75-23 advantage over Democrats in the House, Tennessee Republicans took the extraordinary measure to expel their Democratic colleagues, citing their disruption of orderly House business. Just two state lawmakers had previously been expelled since the U.S. Civil War.

☆ Tennessee Republicans expelled two Democratic legislators who protested with anti-gun activists in the House
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Madison Hall | Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Republicans in the Tennessee legislature just expelled a member for leading a gun reform protest in the House of Chambers. The Tennessee House of Representatives voted 75-25 on Thursday to expel state Rep. Justin Jones. The Tennessee House voted 75-25 on Thursday to expel Jones, with Rep. Justin Pearson also expelled after a 69-26 vote, according to CNN. Only two members of the Tennessee House have been expelled over the last 157 years. President Joe Biden addressed the Tennessee House leadership's focus on expelling the three, calling the move, "undemocratic."

☆ Tennessee Republicans likely to expel three Democratic lawmakers from statehouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Rep. Justin Pearson, Rep. Justin Jones, Rep. Gloria Johnson People hold their hands up as they exit the House Chamber doors at the Tennessee State Capitol Building, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. April 3, 2023. April 6 (Reuters) - Republicans who control the Tennessee House of Representatives will vote on Thursday on whether to expel three Democratic members for their role in a gun control demonstration at the statehouse last week. Three Democratic lawmakers stood on the House floor and used a bullhorn to lead protesters in chanting demands for stricter gun laws. The expulsion vote is likely to easily pass in the Republican-dominated House and lead to the ouster of Rep. Gloria Johnson, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson. Republicans Rep. Andrew Farmer, Rep. Gino Bulso, and Rep.

☆ A Tennessee legislator facing expulsion from the House for protesting gun violence during a session says other lawmakers have done much worse and weren't immediately punished
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One of the lawmakers facing expulsion told Insider that past legislators in the Tennessee House have done much worse than what they did but were not immediately punished for their actions. "It's unprecedented because we have had disruptions bigger than that where no one was even reprimanded," Rep. Gloria Johnson told Insider Tuesday. "I knew we were breaking a House rule, and I know there is a consequence for breaking a House rule," Johnson told Insider. Rep. Justin Pearson, Rep. Justin Jones, Rep. Gloria Johnson People hold their hands up as they exit the House Chamber doors at the Tennessee State Capitol Building, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. April 3, 2023. "I want to stop the guns before they ever get to the schoolhouse doors," Johnson told Insider.

☆ Drag queens fight back against Tennessee law that classifies drag shows as 'adult cabaret' entertainment and makes them a felony
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Bill Lee signed HB0009 into law, amending a law about cabaret performances. A drag queen suing the state over the law told Insider it violates performers' and parents' rights. Tennessee House Bill 0009 was signed into law by Lee on February 27, amending an existing clause regulating erotic performances to include "male or female impersonators" as "adult cabaret entertainment." The company's all-ages performances feature variety shows and comedies highlighting drag performers in an effort to provide the LGBTQ community with events and activities outside of bars and nightclubs. "Were it not for this law, Absent Friends would not have added an age restriction to its monthly performances."

☆ Tennessee governor targeting drag says a photo showing him dressed as a woman isn't a problem because it was 'lighthearted' when he did it
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A photo purporting to show Tennessee's Republican governor in drag in 1977 resurfaced on Reddit. The bill would limit where drag shows can take place under the guise of protecting children. Bill Lee after a photo purporting to show Lee in drag in a 1977 high school yearbook was shared on Reddit. Lee's spokesperson did not deny that the image was of the governor, but said that it was different to what Lee is targeting, which would stop drag shows taking place on public property. Lee told reporters on Monday that he plans to sign a bill that would limit drag shows in public under the guise of protecting children.

☆ Live Election Results: Tennessee State Legislature
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. in the eastern time zone and 8 p.m. in the central time zone. It symobilizes the 2022 Election. Election 2022 Tennessee Results Explore more election results Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Texas Virginia Washington WisconsinThe Tennessee House and Senate are currently under Republican control and are not seen as particularly competitive. Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. in the eastern time zone and 8 p.m. in the central time zone. Tennessee House of Representatives election results:Tennessee Senate election results:

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