Tennessee House of Representatives Votes to Expel Two Democratic Lawmakers, Sparking Debate Over Activism in the Legislature

The Tennessee state House of Representatives voted last week to expel two Democratic lawmakers, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, for their involvement in protests on the chamber floor. Jones and Pearson, who were elected in November and January respectively, are both community organizers and social justice advocates.

The expulsion resolution was sponsored by Republican Representative Andrew Farmer, who lectured Pearson about his behavior during the vote, saying that Pearson just wants attention and doesn’t know how to behave. Farmer’s comments were met with criticism, with some comparing him to a caricature of a racist white lawyer from a 1990s-era movie.

The vote to expel Jones and Pearson passed, while a vote to expel a third Democrat, Gloria Johnson, who also participated in the protests, fell short. Jones and Pearson have both described themselves as activists, and Jones believes that their presence as young Black voices in the chamber made them a target.

The expulsion of Jones and Pearson has been widely covered in the media, and has sparked debate over the role of activism in the legislature. The Tennessee state House is currently controlled by the GOP, and it remains to be seen how the expulsion of Jones and Pearson will affect the balance of power in the chamber.