Tennessee Insurrection

[Pilgrim]

The TN House is voting today to expel three Democrat representatives who participated in a near-riot gun control demonstration at the capitol building last Thursday, and disrupted House proceedings from the floor by using bullhorns to lead chants of demonstrators who were in the gallery. This will not go well for these people since Republicans have a super majority in both houses of Congress, and will scant tolerance for this kind of nonsense, especially in light of recent events.

As I finish this post, one of these renegades - Justin Jones - has already been voted out, with others to follow as they proceed into the evening. Jones wasted no time in playing the race card in his final remarks after being expelled:

"What we see today is a lynch mob assembled to not lynch me, but our democratic process."

GOP expels Democratic Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson from House over gun-control protest

The Tennessee House took the action after the lawmakers broke rules to lead a gun-reform protest on the chamber's floor.

www.tennessean.com

 

[muttly]

The TN House is voting today to expel three Democrat representatives who participated in a near-riot gun control demonstration at the capitol building last Thursday, and disrupted House proceedings from the floor by using bullhorns to lead chants of demonstrators who were in the gallery. This will not go well for these people since Republicans have a super majority in both houses of Congress, and will scant tolerance for this kind of nonsense, especially in light of recent events.

As I finish this post, one of these renegades - Justin Jones - has already been voted out, with others to follow as they proceed into the evening. Jones wasted no time in playing the race card in his final remarks after being expelled:

"What we see today is a lynch mob assembled to not lynch me, but our democratic process."

GOP expels Democratic Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson from House over gun-control protest

The Tennessee House took the action after the lawmakers broke rules to lead a gun-reform protest on the chamber's floor.

www.tennessean.com

Oh, he didn’t “go there” did he? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

[danthewolf00]

Yes he did and even wore a white suit....

 

[muttly]

They voted two of them out. They are martyrs now. Expect an invite to the W.H. medals, a job.

 

[Pilgrim]

Wonder how long it will take for somebody to make an issue of the older, white female representative being the only one not expelled, missing the boot by a single vote? Never mind the fact that the two black guys were the primary disruptors. If Jan 6 rules had been followed she should've been guilty by association.

 

[ATeam]

The TN House is voting today to expel three Democrat representatives who participated in a near-riot gun control demonstration at the capitol building last Thursday, and disrupted House proceedings from the floor by using bullhorns to lead chants of demonstrators who were in the gallery.

Two of the three representatives in question were expelled. Many people, including me, believe expulsion was heavy-handed. Yes, these three violated the rules of decorum. And yes, they should be held accountable. But expelling them for a decorum violation is like sentencing someone to a year in jail for a first-time, 15-mph-over-the-limit speeding ticket. The punishment is out of proportion to the crime.

But the deed is done for two of the three. So let me ask, in what way is the State of Tennessee and its citizens better off because those two representatives were expelled? In what ways are the people now better served?

 

[muttly]

Everyone has been told that the J6 perpetrators of “decorum violations” should be met with shock and awe. The two that were expelled today just experienced that.

 

[muttly]

More to the story why one of them wasn’t kicked out like the other two:

 

[muttly]

 

[Pilgrim]

Two of the three representatives in question were expelled. Many people, including me, believe expulsion was heavy-handed. Yes, these three violated the rules of decorum. And yes, they should be held accountable. But expelling them for a decorum violation is like sentencing someone to a year in jail for a first-time, 15-mph-over-the-limit speeding ticket. The punishment is out of proportion to the crime.

The expulsion of these two disruptive individuals in not only appropriate, but also constructive because it sets an example for the current and future House members that blatant disregard and violation of rules that are necessary for our legislative system to work will not be tolerated. To have allowed these puerile miscreants (ages 27 & 28) to shut down activity in the House with their outrageous behavior on the floor with no consequence other than a slap on the wrist would've set a dangerous precedent; going forward, they and others would've known they would be allowed a heckler's veto of any legislation or procedure they might not like. Why is it that Democrats - especially the young ones - have the attitude that rules (and laws) don't apply to them?

But the deed is done for two of the three. So let me ask, in what way is the State of Tennessee and its citizens better off because those two representatives were expelled? In what ways are the people now better served?

The state is certainly better off because these two representatives proved they're too immature and irresponsible to serve in a serious position like State Representative. Now maybe the voters in these districts will put more qualified people in place to represent them.

 

[danthewolf00]

They brought a bullhorn knowing they would turn the mic off.....and would not follow orders to stop....just because they are state officials doesn't mean they can do as they please.

 

[ATeam]

More to the story why one of them wasn’t kicked out like the other two:

The woman in question is Gloria Johnson. She did not apologize. In fact, she refused to apologize. The post you cite seems to me to be misinformation made up to support a FALSE narrative. Whatever points we want to make, you and I can always find someone online saying something in support. But seeing it on the internet does not make it true. Here's a direct quote from Johnson and footage showing her saying it.

"I refuse to apologize," Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, told NewsChannel 5 Investigates. "I want to be heard. I want to defend myself. I want to tell the people of this state what happened and why." (Source)

 

[ATeam]

To have allowed these puerile miscreants (ages 27 & 28) ...

I presume that, like me, most Americans have never heard of the representatives in question before they showed up on the national news yesterday. Their names are Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. A third representative is Gloria Johnson (60) did the same thing as Jones and Pearson but was not expelled. Together, these people have become known as "The Tennessee Three."

Johnson joined the other two in intentionally breaking the rules of decorum. She stood in the exact same place, at the exact same time, doing the exact same things as the other two. Yet she was not expelled when the other two were. Was her behavior not also puerile? In that moment and in that act, was she not also a miscreant?

Why do you tag Jones and Pearson as "puerile miscreants" but not Johnson?

 

[ATeam]

The expulsion of these two disruptive individuals in not only appropriate, but also constructive because it sets an example for the current and future House members that blatant disregard and violation of rules that are necessary for our legislative system to work will not be tolerated. To have allowed these puerile miscreants (ages 27 & 28) to shut down activity in the House with their outrageous behavior on the floor with no consequence other than a slap on the wrist would've set a dangerous precedent; ...

Precedent is often a factor when determining the suitability of the consequences for a given offense. Expulsion of Tennessee state representatives by the Tennessee House is not unprecedented. It's been done before. So we can look at those examples to determine whether yesterday's expulsions were heavy handed (my phrase) or not. We can also look at TN House history to learn where representatives broke decorum rules and were punished with consequences less extreme than expulsion.

I have not done that research. I presume an article will soon appear written by someone who has. Expulsion is an extreme act. Based on what little I know so far, I think it has been rarely done, and when done, it's for offenses far more serious than decorum rules violations.

I heard on the news last night that this is the first time in Tennessee history where a partisan expulsion was done. The Republicans have a super-majority in their State House and they used that power to expel two members on a party line vote. That is unprecedented. And that does not sit well with a large number of Tennesseans and Americans.

I don't know if the Republicans intended it or not, but one consequence of their act was to instantly transform the "Tennessee Three" into national names and get them more air time and column inches than most state-level politicians get in a lifetime. They are nationally known and hailed as heroes by many.

The practical effects of the expulsion vote may also be short lived. With two TN House seats now vacant, they must be filled so the people for whom those district seats exist can be again represented. We'll know this soon, but it appears that the local bodies that appoint temporary representatives to fill vacant seats will appoint the very people who were expelled. And with the rise of favorable support for the two who were expelled, it appears they will handily win the special elections that will be held to permanently repopulate those seats.

It seems the voters in the districts in question do not share your views about appropriateness of the punishment. It seems they agree that the punishment is out of proportion to the offense.

 

[danthewolf00]

Do stupid....then win stupid prizes.

 

[danthewolf00]

They could have protested outside and been fine but chose to disrupt a state legislature meeting. They KNEW they was in the wrong and even brought a bullhorn because they wanted to disrupt and piss off everyone in session.
It is the woke thug mentality that has flourished because that is how they see it as the only way to get heard.....
We no longer get to have civil discussions because the left have gone to far left and are to foam at the mouth to have them. Joe Manchin is the only one I could see giving trump a run for his money in 2024.

 

[danthewolf00]

Also the conservative Republicans are now seen as extremist by the woke left Democrats that is how far left they have gone.

 

[muttly]

The woman in question is Gloria Johnson. She did not apologize. In fact, she refused to apologize. The post you cite seems to me to be misinformation made up to support a FALSE narrative. Whatever points we want to make, you and I can always find someone online saying something in support. But seeing it on the internet does not make it true. Here's a direct quote from Johnson and footage showing her saying it.

"I refuse to apologize," Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, told NewsChannel 5 Investigates. "I want to be heard. I want to defend myself. I want to tell the people of this state what happened and why." (Source)

State Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson Expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives - Tennessee Star

After a contentious session in the Tennessee House on Thursday two Democrat state representatives were expelled from office by their congressional colleagues.

tennesseestar.com

 

[ATeam]

As I finish this post, one of these renegades - Justin Jones - has already been voted out, with others to follow as they proceed into the evening. Jones wasted no time in playing the race card in his final remarks after being expelled:

Jones alleged racism at that point, and others did the same as the events of the day played out.

Three representatives were subject to expulsion votes. Now known as "The Tennessee Three," two of them are young black men (one mixed-race Filipino/Black) and one is a 60-year-old white woman. All three committed the exact same offense together at the exact same time and place. The white Republicans voted to expel the blacks and retain the white woman.

To many in America, this looks like an example of overt racism.

 

[ATeam]

View attachment 22348

State Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson Expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives - Tennessee Star

After a contentious session in the Tennessee House on Thursday two Democrat state representatives were expelled from office by their congressional colleagues.

tennesseestar.com

A dubious explanation.