#rep. justin jones

[arwyd]

Sunday always comes. Resurrection is a promise, and it is a prophecy. It’s a prophecy that came out of the cotton fields. It’s a prophecy that came out of the lynching tree. It’s a prophecy that still lives in each and every one of us to make the state of Tennessee the place it ought to be. So I’ve still got hope, because I know we are still here and we will never quit.

-Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) on the day of his expulsion (04/06/2023) from the Tennessee House of Representatives, for standing with his constituents as they protested gun violence following a school shooting that left 6 dead at The Covenant School in Nashville on March 27, 2023.

[luckydiorxoxo]

BEST NEWS TODAY:

The Nashville Metropolitan Council has voted to reappoint Justin Jones to the Tennessee House of Representatives.

He was expelled last week for being one of three legislators to join a protest on the House floor in wake of the Nashville school shooting that left six dead.

[uvmagazine]

Tennessee lawmaker Justin Jones reinstated after explusion

Nashville city council has reinstated Justin Jones, one of two lawmakers who were expelled for leading a gun control protest last month.

Nashville city council has voted to reinstate Justin Jones, one of two lawmakers who were expelled for leading a gun control protest last month. Justin Jones reinstated three days after being expelled The council voted unanimously 36-0 to return Justin Jones to the legislature on Monday, 10 April during a special session. Last week, Republican colleagues voted ousted Jones along with his…

[cozyaliensuperstar7]

#Repost @bcgmag

——

JUST IN: Democratic Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson will likely be reappointed to their seats after they were expelled from the Tennessee House!!

For Jones, his now empty seat will be filled by the Metro Nashville Council, and a majority of members already say they’ll reappoint Jones back to the seat for the duration before the special elections occurring later this year.

For Pearson, The Shelby County Commission, which has a Democratic majority, is expected to do something similar.

This is GREAT NEWS! 💙

[blinkiesreal]

EVEN MOAR political blinkiessss!!!!!! feel free 2 use, they wont bite :3

[shea-like-the-butter]

Thursday, April 6th 2023

Whatever helps me help you sleep every night away

[grey-has-rusted]

Moving states isn't enough, I have to get out of this country entirely.

[wilwheaton]

Rarely have we seen anything like the past few days in Tennessee. Three Democrats, for joining with thousands of students walking out of class and in many cases, going to the Nashville statehouse, after the latest school shooting right in that city, were threatened with expulsion from the chamber. Did they molest children? No, that was a GOPer who was allowed to remain in the state legislature. Domestic violence? Nope, he got to stay. Were they under federal investigation? Yet again, a Republican. Nope, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson & Caroline Johnson were "loud" and "behaved wrong" (read "uppity") by joining with protestors. This same logic did not apply to a former GOP state rep who peed--yes, you read that right--on another member's chair. That was totally cool. And, of course, in the state where the Ku Klux Klan was founded...what do you think the end result was? Here's a video to explain exactly what happened, why, how this will affect the 2024 election and how it fits in with so much else the GOP is up to these days.

Guns, Racists, And Predators: A Guide To Approved TN Decorum

Say it with me, and say it loud: Republicans are garbage.

[odinsblog]

APRIL 10, 2023: Four days after being unjustly expelled by racist Republicans in Tennessee, Justin Jones was sworn back into office

He then marched arm-in-arm, back to the Tennessee State House with thousands of cheering constituents and supporters

With his head and fist raised high, Rep. Justin Jones triumphantly returned to the Tennessee Chamber where he reclaimed the seat that voters elected him to

We love to see it.

[politijohn]

ICYMI today while the media concentrated on Trump’s arrest, in Tennessee:

Protesters gathered at the TN State Capitol to protest gun violence and legislators’ inaction, a week after a mass shooting occurred in Nashville. The government is overwhelming run by Republicans.

3 Democratic legislators - Reps Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson, and Justin Pearson - joined protestors in the State House demanding gun reform.

For “dishonoring the House” by speaking out of turn, Republicans put forth a vote tomorrow to expel them from the House.

The media and protestors were escorted out as Rep. Lafferty (R) assaulted Rep. Jones (D).

Meanwhile, Rep. Lamberth (R) confronted protestors with tone deaf rhetoric asking "If there is a firearm out there that you’re comfortable being shot with, please show me which one it is.”

A reminder that our government is run by evil conservatives who try each day to steal more power as they do nothing to address injustices.

[luckydiorxoxo]

[uvmagazine]

VP Harris Meets With The "Tennessee Three"

Vice President Kamala Harris went to Nashville Friday to meet with the Tennessee Three and discuss gun reform with state lawmakers.

Vice President Kamala Harris went to Nashville Friday to meet with the Tennessee Three and discuss gun reform with state lawmakers. Kamala Harris Honors the Tennessee Three In a tweet, Harris honored the lawmakers stating their voices “won’t be silenced and their demands for gun reform must be heard.” Tennessee House lawmakers voted Thursday to expel Reps. Justin Pearson of Memphis and Justin…

[darkwhimsycreations]

You can also email the representatives in your state calling on them to release a statement condemning the Tennessee house speaker for refusing to allow elected representatives serve their constituents. Honestly I would recommend doing the same thing, sending a letter to your reps and to the president, for Flordia right now. DeSantis has violated the constitution enough times that letter should be thick.

Update: Unfortunately Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson have been expelled as of a day ago. They are still dedicated to fighting this fascist government and I fully believe these wonderful people are going to bring about great change!

Another update: Justin Jones has been reinstated!

Update: Justin J. Pearson has also been reinstated!!!! HUGE win for democracy! These guys are going to make waves. 👏👏👏👏👏

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The first openly transgender state representative in Montana history is facing either censure or outright expulsion, after she said Republicans would have “blood on their hands” for passing a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Rep. Zooey Zephyr was sworn in just three months ago after winning a Missoula-based seat in November. GOP leaders have refused to recognize her in floor debates until she apologizes for the comment. On Monday, supporters rallied on the steps of the state Capitol, and chants of “Let her speak!” shut down proceedings in the House for nearly a half-hour, as Zephyr hoisted her microphone above her head.

On Tuesday, Zephyr tweeted a letter she received from leaders in the Republican-controlled chamber declaring their intention to bring a motion “with respect to the conduct of Representative Zooey Zephyr.”

The House will “determine if [Zephyr]’s conduct on the Floor of the House on April 24, 2023 violated the rules, collective rights, safety, dignity, integrity, or decorum of the House of Representatives, and if so, whether to impose disciplinary consequences for those actions,” according to the letter sent to Zephyr. The House will meet Wednesday afternoon.

“I have been informed that during tomorrow’s floor session there will be a motion to either censure or expel me,” Zephyr said in a Tuesday tweet. “I’ve also been told I’ll get a chance to speak. I will do as I have always done—rise on behalf of my constituents, in defense of my community, & for democracy itself.”

Zephyr’s clash with the GOP began last week when she made the comment during a floor debate on the transition care ban. Since then, Republicans have refused to let her participate in floor debates entirely, even when she’s requested to speak last week, the far-right Montana Freedom Caucus demanded Zephyr’s immediate censure while misgendering her in their statement.

The move to silence Zephyr has been met with fierce protests. On Monday, supporters rallied on the steps of the state Capitol, and chants of “Let her speak!” shut down proceedings in the House for nearly a half-hour, as Zephyr hoisted her microphone above her head.

Riot cops who were called to the chamber arrested seven protesters. Republicans claimed that the protests had turned violent, though the protesters were charged only with criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor. In the letter, Republican leaders said the House gallery, where Montana citizens are able to watch proceedings, will be closed Wednesday during the debate on whether to punish Zephyr.

“It’s not enough for them to get the harmful bills through,” Zephyr told reporters Monday. “When someone stands up and calls out their bills for the harm they cause, for the deaths they cause, they want silence. And we will not be complicit in our eradication.”

Montana House Speaker Matt Regier said in a statement Tuesday that “the choice not to follow House rules is one that Rep. Zephyr has made.”

“The only person silencing Rep. Zephyr is Rep. Zephyr. The Montana House will not be bullied,” Regier said.

Tensions have escalated in state legislatures such as Montana’s this year, as Republicans across the country have used simple rules violations as a pretext to crack down on dissent.

Earlier this month, the Tennessee House of Representatives expelled two young Black lawmakers, Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis and Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville, and nearly expelled a third white lawmaker from Knoxville, after the trio protested for gun law reforms in the wake of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville in March.

The move, however, backfired spectacularly. Pearson and Jones became national figures overnight, they were quickly re-appointed to the seats they’d been expelled from, and both are expected to run in special elections to determine a replacement for, well, themselves. They met with President Joe Biden at the White House earlier this week.

Tennessee Republicans have also drawn increased scrutiny to themselves, after expelling Jones and Pearson for bringing “disorder and dishonor” to the legislature; a member of the leadership abruptly resigned last week after a complaint that he’d sexually harassed an intern became public, and the Speaker of the Tennessee House, Cameron Sexton, has faced new questions about whether he really resides in his district.

On Tuesday, Pearson offered his support to Zephyr in a tweet.

“Voices across the country continue to rise for justice and expose the anti-democratic behavior of people in Republican led states,” Pearson said. “We will not let our democracy die without fighting for every voice. We are in this fight from Memphis to Montana!”