Kamala Harris meets with Tennessee Democrats expelled from state House by GOP lawmakers

Amna Nawaz:

It was a chaotic scene at the Tennessee capitol yesterday, as two Black members of the state House of Representatives were kicked out of office by the Republican supermajority.

In response, late today, Vice President Harris traveled to Nashville to meet with Democratic lawmakers, including the ones who were expelled.

Laura Barrón-López has our report.

State Rep. Larry Miller (D-TN):

Do not let this die.

Laura Barrón-López:

Tennessee Democrats outraged.

State Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-TN):

I am asking folks to — who are mad to stay mad.

Laura Barrón-López:

And committed to continuing the fight for gun reforms.

State Rep. Justin Jones (D-TN):

There are thousands of us here who are demanding change. No action, no peace!

Protesters:

No peace!

Laura Barrón-López:

After two lawmakers, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, the youngest Black representatives in the House, were expelled from the state assembly yesterday.

State Rep. Cameron Sexton (R-Tennessee):

… 57th Representative District expelled.

(BOOING)

State Rep. Justin Pearson (D-TN):

We can never normalize the tyranny of the way that these people in positions of power are operating due to white supremacy.

Man:

House Resolution 64 fails.

Laura Barrón-López:

Another lawmaker, Gloria Johnson, a white woman, was spared expulsion by one vote.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-TN):

America is going to go, that guy is a rock star.

Laura Barrón-López:

Representative Johnson left with no doubt about why she kept her job, while her colleagues did not.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson:

It might have to do with the color of our skin.

Laura Barrón-López:

Dubbed the Tennessee 3 by supporters, the Democrats drew the ire of the Republican supermajority last week after they led protests in support of gun restrictions on the House floor, breaking the rules of the chamber just days after a shooting at a Nashville school left six dead, including three children.

State Rep. Justin Jones:

We called for you all to ban assault weapons. And you respond with an assault on democracy.

Laura Barrón-López:

The debate to expel the trio lasted hours and was oftentimes contentious.

State Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-TN):

Just because you don't get your way, you can't come to the well, bring your friends and throw a temper tantrum with an adolescent bullhorn.

State Rep. Justin Pearson:

Is elevating our voices for justice or change a temper tantrum. There's something in the decorum of this body that says it's OK to call that a temper tantrum, to call people we disagree with on the issues, to say that all they wanted is attention.

But I will tell you what. I don't personally want attention. What I want is attention on the issue of gun violence,.

Laura Barrón-López:

Republicans resolute and largely united in their votes and condemnation for the lack of decorum.

State Rep. Gino Bulso (R-TN):

He and two other representatives effectively conducted a mutiny on March the 30th of 2023 in this very chamber.

State Rep. Cameron Sexton:

There are consequences for action. The speaker of the statehouse last week even comparing the peaceful protests by students and Democrats to the violent January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, a charge Democrats rejected.

State Rep. Gloria Johnson:

I know that rules sometimes have to be broken, and sometimes you have to get in good trouble.

Laura Barrón-López:

Jones and Pearson are gone from office. But their message is now resonating far beyond the state's borders, President Biden calling their ouster shocking, undemocratic and without precedent.

And, late today, Vice President Kamala Harris traveling to Nashville to meet with the current and former Democratic lawmakers.

State Rep. Justin Jones:

If it can happen here in Tennessee, it's coming to your state next.

Laura Barrón-López:

Their absence may be short lived. The Nashville Council will meet on Monday and could choose to send Jones back to the state Capitol until a special election can be held later this year.

For more on what this means for the state of Tennessee, gun violence and equal representation, I'm joined by Tennessee State Representative John Ray Clemmons. He's the House Democratic Caucus chair.

Welcome to "NewsHour."

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-TN):

Thank you for having me.

Laura Barrón-López:

Yesterday, two of your caucus members, Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, were expelled from the House of Representatives. A third, Gloria Johnson, was not.

Representative Johnson said that she thinks it had to do with the color of their skin. Do you agree with that assessment?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

Well, I certainly understand how some might think that. And it very well may be the case. But I don't know what's in my colleagues' heart, and I'd hate to speculate.

But I think it's fair to say that my caucus lost two very strong voices yesterday. And I look forward to their imminent return to the House. And I hope their local governments reinstate them very soon.

Laura Barrón-López:

And Republican said that they broke the rules of decorum by protesting on the floor. Do you think that they should have faced different consequences?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

Well, people break decorum or House rules on a daily basis. What they did was approached the well of the House without permission from the speaker.

I think, in anyone's estimation, that is a very minor offense or breach of the House rules. Others who have served in the House in recent years who have not even been punished for anything have done far, far worse things, including several who were under a federal investigation and have been — had criminal charges brought against them.

Just this year, we had a member on the Criminal Justice Committee advocate for lynching, which is a hate crime, and he still sits on that committee with no punishment whatsoever. And another last week committed — has been charged with simple assault. He still sits on the House floor with no punishment whatsoever.

Only three times since the Civil War have members been expelled from the state legislature. And those were very egregious crimes or conduct. So this is — this is highly inappropriate. It is an extraordinary action that should have never taken place. And it's truly a sad day for our democracy in the state of Tennessee.

Laura Barrón-López:

And so what comes next for House Democrats in Tennessee? Are there any steps that your caucus can take in response to these expulsions?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

You know, Justin Pearson, Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson have had the full support of our entire caucus.

And we're going to continue to fight for them. We do not believe that a 75-member GOP supermajority should silence the voices of over 200,000 Tennesseans who elected to send these individuals to serve in the state legislature. We're going to continue to fight.

And, unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle may have won two votes yesterday, but I think they lost in the world of public opinion.

Laura Barrón-López:

And, as you said, both Representative Jones and Pearson could be reappointed to their seats and run in a special election.

How can you make sure, though, that the Republican supermajority will seat them?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

Well, if the — if their local governments reappoint them to serve in this legislative body and the papers are processed to the secretary of state's office, they better be seated in the state legislature, or we're going to have a real legal battle on our hands.

I don't see any grounds for this supermajority to refuse to seat them in this General Assembly. If they would refuse to seek them, I think you would see this taken to a whole 'nother level, unfortunately.

Laura Barrón-López:

And, Representative, as you know, this all started after the shooting at Covenant School that left six dead, including three children, and then the protests on the floor subsequently were about trying to pass more gun restrictions in the state.

Where does any of that stand in terms of legislation actually passing through the Statehouse that would restrict guns?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

Yes, unfortunately, our community has been devastated by the loss of those six lives at the Covenant School here in Nashville.

But that's only the latest incident of gun violence. Gun violence, it occurs every day in every community across the state of Tennessee too often. And so it is way overdue for solutions. So we're fighting for gun safety measures and a little gun sense legislation.

We're talking with our colleagues across Iowa. We requested a meeting with the governor of Tennessee, who refuses to even mention the word gun since the tragedy at the Covenant School.

Laura Barrón-López:

You mentioned that you're talking across the aisle. I mean, have you heard from any Republicans or independents in recent days and if they're moved at all by what's transpired over the last week?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

I don't question whether people were moved by that tragedy, or even gun violence in their own districts.

But what we hope and we continue to get — my colleagues have reached out and they said, hey, we're willing to work with you on something, but let's keep working.

But those are just words. We need to see action. And I appreciate them saying they're willing to work with us. But we spent the last two — two weeks or so now being distracted by an expulsion that's completely baseless and undemocratic, instead of focusing on passing gun safety legislation

It's truly demoralizing and an offense, quite honestly, to the victims of gun violence.

Laura Barrón-López:

What message does it send to other states, to the nation that Tennessee's Statehouse decided to expel two young Black representatives who were speaking on behalf of their constituents and on behalf of students who were protesting for more gun restriction?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

This sends an incredibly alarming signal across the country that, if you speak up for what you believe, as a young Black man or as a lawmaker, you can be expelled from your duly elected position.

That is truly alarming. And it should — it's really beyond the pale. It should cause everyone, regardless of where you live or where you are, to rise up and take action and say, you're not going to allow this. You're not going to allow Republicans to expel members just because they disagree with them, or don't like them perhaps, or don't like what they have to say.

Laura Barrón-López:

And, Representative, you're meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris today. What's your message to her?

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

It is time we take action at both the federal level and the local level in the state of Tennessee.

And I'm going to encourage her to encourage her friends in the U.S. Senate and the House to do what they can, and we will try to live up to our into the bargain as well and continue to fight here in the state of Tennessee.

Laura Barrón-López:

Representative John Ray Clemmons, thank you so much for your time.

State Rep. John Ray Clemmons:

Thank you very much.