Congressional Black Caucus slams Tennessee lawmakers for kicking out black lawmakers

[ad_1]

The Congressional Black Caucus lambasted the Republican-controlled state legislature in Tennessee on Thursday after two black Democratic state lawmakers were expelled for participating in a protest against gun violence in the House.

On Thursday, lawmakers voted to evict State Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis). Their colleague, Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), who also participated in the protest earlier this week, survived her eviction vote. Johnson is white.

Led by Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), the CBC released a statement late Thursday condemning the actions of the legislature and said the Republican majority chose to “abdicate their responsibility to keep their communities safe. “.

“Instead of working to protect residents from gun violence, they have taken the unprecedented step of evicting two black members of the Democratic caucus who have chosen to stand with families, teachers and students to demand reform. gun safety and speak truth to power about the reality of gun violence in their community and across our country,” the statement read.

“The targeted expulsions of Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson — two duly elected black members representing minority districts — make it clear that racism is alive and well in Tennessee,” he added.

“The GOP-led House chose to silence dissent not only from black representatives in the chamber, but also from the voices of their constituents. This decision is not only racist and undemocratic, it is morally bankrupt and out of step with the overwhelming majority of Americans who believe we need common sense gun control reforms to save lives.

Protests erupted in the Tennessee state capital days after a deadly shooting at the private Covenant School in Nashville last month. The shooting killed three 9-year-old children and three faculty members.

Jones, Johnson and Pearson led chants on the House floor during the protests. In response, the three were removed from their roles on the committee earlier this week.

In a statement to The Hill, Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) called the actions of Republicans in Tennessee “pure and simple fascism in its ugliest, most racist form.”

“The fact that a black man was kicked out for opposing the murder of children – but not his white counterpart – says it all,” Lee said, adding that “Republicans want to protect guns instead of protect children.They want to put politics above the lives of the people they represent.

“They are asking for safety for themselves, but not for schoolchildren, and they will sacrifice the lives of our loved ones for their lobbyists,” she continued. “Now is NOT the time to be on the sidelines. We better fight back before it’s too late.

Representative James Clyburn said he was “disturbed” by the actions of the state legislator and called the evictions “baseless” and “undemocratic”. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Florida), a staunch supporter of gun reform, called the actions an “extremist and undue response” and a “gross abuse of power.”

Ahead of Thursday’s expulsion vote, the three members, who became known as the Tennessee Three on social media, entered the floor of the House with their fists raised. Hundreds of students from across the state applauded their support for the members.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California) also tweeted her support for Jones on Thursday.

“I’m proud of you and your colleagues at TN for standing firm in your commitment to justice, free speech and gun reform,” she said. “If your fellow Republicans had an ounce of integrity, they would pass safer communities bills, not political retaliation.”

But it wasn’t just black lawmakers who spoke out on Thursday.

The Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and chairman of the National Action Network, called the expulsion of Jones and Pearson an attack on democracy.

“How can you impeach these lawmakers, who spoke on behalf of thousands of black Tennesseans living every day under the threat of gun violence, but stop short of impeaching their white colleague and denying that it is ‘racist action?’ Sharpton said in a statement. “The National Action Network stands with our Nashville Chapter in support of their fundamental right to protest, especially against the gun violence that consistently and persistently affects Black communities.”

Still, before the vote that kicked him out, Jones had a message for Republicans.

Biden slams expulsion of Tennessee lawmakers as ‘shocking’ and ‘undemocratic’ JPMorgan CEO says banking crisis puts ‘another weight on the scales’ towards recession

“To those here who will vote for expulsion, I was also fighting for your children to live free from the terror of school shootings,” Jones said. “If I get kicked out of here, I’ll be back there with the people every week demanding that you take action.”

“If you expel me, I will continue to present myself because this file is too important”, he added.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[ad_2]