How your lawmaker voted on expelling Tennessee House members
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) – There is harsh reaction Friday to the Tennessee legislature’s vote on Thursday to expel two of the three Democrats accused of disrupting the legislature on Monday.
They joined protesters who stormed the Tennessee House to call for action on restricting guns following the Covenant School shooting.
On Thursday, the House heard from the three lawmakers and questioned them before voting on each one.
They voted two expel Representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones from Memphis, but did not expel Representative Gloria Johnson from Knoxville.
Critics call the vote racist, since they voted against the two African American lawmakers, but let the white female remain.
Republican leaders said the move was necessary to draw the line on how far protests can go during House proceedings.
But the Tennessee Black Caucus called the legislature a Kangaroo Court on Friday.
On Monday, local government in Memphis will pick two replacement lawmakers for the expelled, and there is already a campaign to re-nominated Reps. Pearson and Jones.
The votes came primarily along party lines.
Here is how lawmakers in the Tennessee Valley voted.
Rep. Justin Jones (vote 72-25)
For expulsion:
(R) Rep. Mark Cocharan- McMinn County
(R) Rep. Patsy Hazlewood- Signal Mountain
(R) Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes- East Ridge
(R) Rep. Dan Howell- Cleveland
(R) Rep. Greg Martin- Hamilton County
(R) Rep. Kevin Raper- Cleveland
(R) Rep. Ron Travis- Dayton
(R) Rep. Greg Vital- Harrison
(R) House Speaker Cameron Sexton- Crossville
Voting No
D Rep. Yusuf Hakeem-Chattanooga
Rep. Justin Pearson (69-26)
For expulsion:
(R) Rep. Mark Cocharan- McMinn County
(R) Rep. Patsy Hazlewood- Signal Mountain
(R) Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes- East Ridge
(R) Rep. Dan Howell- Cleveland
(R) Rep. Greg Martin- Hamilton County
(R) Rep. Kevin Raper- Cleveland
(R) Rep. Ron Travis- Dayton
(R) Rep. Greg Vital- Harrison
(R) House Speaker Cameron Sexton- Crossville
Against:
(D) Rep. Yusuf Hakeem- Chattanooga
Rep. Gloria Johnson (65-30, one vote shy of number needed to expel)
For expulsion:
(R) Rep. Mark Cocharan- McMinn County
(R) Rep. Patsy Hazlewood- Signal Mountain
(R) Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes- East Ridge
(R) Rep. Dan Howell- Cleveland
(R) Rep. Greg Martin- Hamilton County
(R) Rep. Kevin Raper- Cleveland
(R) Rep. Ron Travis- Dayton
(R) Rep. Greg Vital- Harrison
(R) House Speaker Cameron Sexton- Crossville
Against:
(D) Rep. Yusuf Hakeem- Chattanooga
