Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson told NBC they hoped to be reappointed by their districts to serve in their seats until they could run again in special elections
Two Tennessee Democrats who were expelled from the Republican-dominated state House of Representatives last week over their participation in a gun control protest said on Sunday that they hoped to soon reclaim their seats.
Under Tennessee Law, the Metropolitan Council of Davidson County in Nashville and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis can appoint interim representatives for their districts’ now-vacant seats until a special election is held. The Metropolitan Council in Nashville planned to meet on Monday to address the district vacancy. Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman told Reuters that if the council rules are suspended, a vote could be held right after that meeting, and Jones could return to his role.
Republicans accused them and Johnson of engaging in “disorderly behaviour” and said in resolutions calling for their expulsion that they “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonour to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.” The Democrats said their participation in the protest was within their constitutional right to freedom of speech.Race came up several times during the debate ahead of the vote.
“The Republican-led supermajority of the Tennessee General Assembly sought to have a political lynching of three of its members because we spoke out of turn against the status quo of the government after the tragic deaths of six people,” Pearson told the congregation.
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