Tennessee House votes to expel 2 members, 1 narrowly remains

(The Center Square) – The Tennessee House expelled two members Thursday, with a third narrowly missing expulsion, the fourth time such an expulsion has occurred in the body.

The House voted to expel Reps. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, and Justin Jones, D-Nashville, but narrowly voted against dismissing Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, for walking to the front of the House a week earlier and chanting with protesters before Jones took out a bullhorn and chanted with members of the public in the balcony.

The gun control protest happened following a shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School that left three students and three staff members along with the shooter dead.

Thursday’s expulsion proceeding began with the playing of a compilation of videos, not previously shown to Democratic members, showing the protest and the House going into recess.

Discussion then was heated on whether or not the expulsions should occur or whether the offense rose to the level of expulsion.

Jones was the first to be expelled, 72-5. The Metro Nashville Council called a 4:30 p.m. meeting for Monday to fill the seat, where they could choose Jones again or another representative to fill the spot until a special election occurs.

A full gallery remained throughout the 10 hours of House session Thursday and reacted loudly and negatively, chanting “shame on you” when the final vote of the day to expel Pearson was taken. Pearson was expelled by a 69-26 vote. Johnson survived on a 65-30 vote with 66 votes needed for expulsion.

“The resolution isn’t expulsion,” Pearson said during his proceeding. “The resolution is passing meaningful gun control legislation.”

Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, represents a neighboring district to Jones and said he left session Monday night in order to go to a Little League game where ribbons were displayed for a member of the league who had been killed in the shooting.

“We need to do something,” Powell said. “And expelling Justin Jones is not that thing.”

Jones said he believed the expulsion was more about his ideology than his actions, as prior expulsions have involved crimes.

“What we did is act,” Jones said. “ … What we were doing was calling for the end of gun violence.”

Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood disagreed, saying “what we are doing today, ladies and gentleman, is we are upholding our constitution. We are voting to protect the integrity of this body. Let’s vote to expel ‘em, that will send the case back to the voters of Davidson County. If, after looking at his conduct, they decide he should come back, we will welcome him as a representative.”

Former Rep. John Mark Windle represented Johnson, saying none of the allegation about her, such as shouting, using a bullhorn or pounding the table in front of the House, applied.

Johnson said she was shocked a physical altercation during Monday’s session, where Rep. Justin Lafferty, R-Knoxville, allegedly grabbed and took the phone of Jones, was not getting more attention from the House. Jones reportedly filed a police report on the incident.