Over 250 Legislators Condemn Proposed Expulsion of Three Democratic Lawmakers in Tennessee for Protesting Gun Violence

In a letter organized by the State Innovation Exchange, a progressive legislation advocacy group, more than 250 legislators from across the United States have condemned the proposed expulsion of three Democratic legislators in Tennessee for protesting gun violence on the state House floor.

The three lawmakers, who led a protest on the House floor last Thursday, are accused of breaking House rules and are now facing removal from office. The Tennessee House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the matter this Thursday.

The legislators, in their letter, blasted what they called an “anti-democratic” attempt by the GOP-led state House to “silence” elected leaders on an important issue. The protest was held in response to a school shooting in Nashville last month, in which three 9-year-olds were killed.

The letter further states that the proposed expulsion of the three legislators is a “clear violation of the First Amendment” and “an affront to the very idea of democracy.” It also calls on the Tennessee House of Representatives to “cease its attack on the right of its members to speak out on behalf of their constituents.”

The letter has been signed by legislators from across the United States, including California, New York, and Massachusetts. The signatories have called on the Tennessee House of Representatives to “reconsider its actions and protect the rights of its members to speak out on behalf of their constituents.”