Political leaders react to concerns over Tennessee state representatives expulsion

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

The fallout over the expulsion of two Democratic state lawmakers in Tennessee is being felt across the county. Two Black state lawmakers were kicked out of the legislature for leading a peaceful protest on the house floor after a mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville.

There’s a lot of concern about what happened on Thursday night. Most people are questioning the power a chamber holds when removing legislators, with many wondering if more expulsions could happen, whether they be justified or not.

“What happened yesterday was just inexcusable is outrageous,” former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said.

The move to expel two Tennessee state lawmakers is getting mixed reactions from political experts across the aisle. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Paul DeMarco said the move holds legislators accountable for their actions.

“Folks are very passionate about it, and you want your state representatives to represent their constituents zealously,” he said. “But not to the point that they would incite violence toward other members.”

However, others aren’t convinced. Jones said the expulsion sends a message of consequences simply for having a different viewpoint.

“When you stifle just mere dissent over some rule of decorum, that is an assault on democracy,” he said. “Our country was founded on dissent. It is something we pride ourselves on.”

Both men know there’s a clause in Alabama’s constitution that would allow legislators to be expelled, but Jones is concerned about how other states with supermajority could weaponize this rarely used tactic.

“We’ve seen draconian laws on immigration on women’s rights,” Jones said. “We’ve seen things in the legislature because you’ve got a supermajority, and they can do whatever the heck they want to, and they don’t even have to talk to the minority.”

Demarco believes Republicans did the right thing to expel Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.

“Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose,” DeMarco said, “but that doesn’t mean that you should allow or incite violence against the other members or your colleagues.”

Both Tennessee lawmakers do have the chance to get their seats back. A special election will be held to fill their seats, and if they were to win, they would have to be let back in the legislature. Until then, county commissions will have to appoint interim representatives, and they could appoint Pearson and Jones before the session even ends.