Tennessee House Republicans’ resolution to expel State Representative Gloria Johnson (’86), a Democrat who represents District 90 in Knoxville and frequently advocates on behalf of students, staff and faculty, failed on Thursday night in a 65-30 vote. The resolution needed 66 votes to expel Johnson.
The resolution came after Johnson’s participation in a protest in support of gun reform that took place last Thursday on the House floor.
On Monday, Johnson was stripped of her committee assignments. House Republicans later filed resolutions to expel Johnson, along with Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) who also joined in the protests.
The protests which drew thousands of school-aged kids were in response to a shooting at Nashville’s The Covenant School, in which three adults and three children were shot and killed.
The decision to rush a vote on expulsion for the three representatives, dubbed the “Tennessee Three,” was made by Republican leadership in the House based on allegations of “disorderly behavior” under Article II, Section 12 of the Tennessee Constitution.
Jones’ committee assignments were also revoked, while Pearson did not have any current assignments. Many of Johnson’s supporters are now calling the action a brazen punishment and a warning not only for her, but for any elected official who may participate in protests in states with a conservative supermajority.
Jones took to Twitter to explain his feelings on the matter.
“Tonight as Tennessee House Republicans push forward to schedule vote on our expulsion, Speaker Sexton orders the gallery cleared as crowd chants ‘fascists.’ Media forced out as well … This is a sad day for Tennessee,” Jones said.
The decision to revoke Johnson and Jones’ committee assignments was met with fierce public opposition, with rallies happening across Tennessee.
Despite this opposition, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton maintained his position that the expulsions were justified, and that the protest was not as peaceful as it is being made out to be.
“My comments on Thursday were not directed toward the peaceful protestors; they were solely directed toward the actions of three Democrat lawmakers who rushed the well and those who led a protest on the House ballroom with a bullhorn,” Sexton said.
Sexton refers to comments made on March 30, in which he compared the floor demonstration in response to the Covenant School shooting to be “at least equivalent, maybe worse” than the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.
Going into the vote, Johnson acknowledged her commitment to being heard, even in the face of opposition from House Republicans.
“A week after six people were slaughtered in a Tennessee school shooting, House Republicans are taking action, Not to stop gun violence. But to silence voices that are calling for reform. We will not be silent,” Johnson said.
At this House meeting, the three affected representatives had the opportunity to defend themselves before the chamber. During her defense, Johnson said some of the accusations in the expulsion resolution were inaccurate, and emphasized her commitment to making gun reform a reality.
“The words in this document are false, and I did what I was compelled to do based on speaking for the voters in my district who were begging me to bring this issue forward,” Johnson said.
While Johnson survived the resolution, members voted 72-25 to expel Jones and 69-26 to expel Pearson.
Jones’ and Pearson’s expulsions mark the first ones in the Tennessee House since former Representative Jeremy Durham was expelled in 2016 in a 70-2 vote due to allegations of sexual misconduct.
