Current Events > Citing Jan 6th, TN Speaker Wants to Expel State Legislators Who Joined Protest

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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/citing-jan-6th-speaker-wants-to-expel-members-who-joined-school-shooting-protest

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) is threatening to expel three Democratic members of the state House after they acknowledged and supported a public protest over lax gun laws and the deadly school shooting at Covenant School, a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. The shooting took place one week ago today, March 27th. The shooter shot and killed three children and three adults before being killed in a firefight with police officers. Thousands descended on the capitol building three days later demanding greater restrictions on firearms.

That protest is at the center of plans to expel the three members.

The protests included no injuries, no property damage and no arrests. But when protestors entered the House gallery three members Reps. Gloria Johnson, D-Knox, Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, and Justin Jones, D-Nashville stood up and chanted with the demonstrators. Johnson told reporters on Monday that she and her colleagues were tired of our voice not being heard. We decided between bills, we are going to walk up, were going to acknowledge the people outside surrounding this building, in the rotunda, and were going to speak to their issue and tell them that we are with them.

During the protest Sexton warned the three lawmakers not to acknowledge the protestors but to stick to the discussion of the legislation at hand. They persisted.

Two of three lawmakers have already been stripped of their committee assignments. The third wasnt seated on any committees. Sexton, the Speaker, has justified the removal of committee on assignments and possible expulsion from the assembly by comparing the protest to the Jan. 6th, 2021, insurrection on riot on Capitol Hill which sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election, resulted in five deaths, extensive property damage and hundreds of arrests and prosecutions.

Two of the members; Representative Jones and Representative Johnson, have been very vocal about Jan. 6 and Washington, D.C., about what that was, Sexton told reporters. What they did today was equivalent, at least equivalent, maybe worse depending on how you look at it, to doing an insurrection in the State Capitol.

Sexton warned that possible punishment could range from removal from committees, censure to expulsion. A vote on expelling the three members from office will be held later this week.

This is illegal, we have a right to assembly.

WTF we hate riots now?!

"You!" "No YOU!" politics is going to be the end of America.

the fact that these people don't spontaneously combust should be all the proof anyone needs against the very concept of gods.

Everyone who voted/votes to punish or expel them should be in prison for life no parole and stripped of office.

Our country is full of double standards.

trappedunderice posted...

Our country is full of double standards.

This is America, goddammit! We have quadruple standards.

trappedunderice posted...

Our country is full of double standards.

it's not, though. their standard is "we can do anything we want, and you can't do anything to stop us."

is this something they can appeal at least?

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Aww, that was the exact quote and response I wanted to post.

"Those people chanting in our state house was tantamount to an insurrection, just like on Jan 6th. Also Jan 6th wasn't an insurrection, it was just a simple walking tour. If there was any violence then that violence came from antifa!"

Literally a first amendment violation... fucking Tennessee.

Intro2Logic posted...

What they did today was equivalent, at least equivalent, maybe worse depending on how you look at it, to doing an insurrection in the State Capitol.

What a fucking clown.

I_is_smart posted...

Literally a first amendment violation

No it isn't

Intro2Logic posted...

No it isn't

Yes it is. The First Amendment guarantees the right to assembly.

Full_Pokedex posted...

Yes it is. The First Amendment guarantees the right to assembly.

You can't be put in jail for it, but a legislative body can absolutely remove you from its committees over things you say or actions you take.
For example
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-votes-to-remove-gop-rep-greene-from-committees/

Full_Pokedex posted...

Yes it is. The First Amendment guarantees the right to assembly.

Not within a legislative chamber while it's in session. If you're a member of that body then there are also rules you have to follow in regards to conduct and procedure as well. You won't get arrested for breaking those rules, but you can find yourself facing some pretty harsh consequences if you run afoul of them.

Semi-related:
https://twitter.com/erichm/status/1643057057057177602

"Just protest peacefully", they said

https://twitter.com/brotherjones_/status/1643063537244291076

Republicans: *kill a person dead*
Democrats: "Killing people for no reason is bad"
Democrats: *litter*
Republicans: "See? See? Littering is bad, just like killing is! I'm sure Democrats would kill too, since they litter!"
Democrats: "Fuck, they're right, guess we gotta hold this L"

So fucking dumb

Master_Kazuya posted...

Democrats: "f***, they're right, guess we gotta hold this L"

Where do you see this happening, exactly?

trappedunderice posted...

Our country is full of double standards.

if youre double standard is people not considering Jan 6th the same as this protest, then so god help me.

Intro2Logic posted...

Where do you see this happening, exactly?

Democrats just seem hella passive and try to use moral high ground in places where it doesn't help

Hey look, the GOP being dumb ignorant ****s. Color me surprised.

if they get away with this, the precedent it sets is scary