Key takeaways:
- Tennessee House Republicans voted to expel two Black Democratic representatives, but spared an older white woman.
- Audio recordings reveal Republican lawmakers confronting their caucus members who voted against Johnson’s expulsion.
- The expulsion votes have sparked accusations of racism and highlighted the need for increased diversity in the state’s legislature.
Tennessee House Republicans are facing internal strife after voting to expel two Black Democratic representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, but sparing an older white woman, Rep. Gloria Johnson, for protesting lax gun laws on the House floor.
An audio recording obtained by The Tennessee Holler reveals Republican lawmakers aggressively confronting their caucus members who voted against Johnson’s expulsion, complaining that their refusal to expel her led to the party as a whole being tagged as “racist” and “white supremacist.”
The expulsion votes have sparked accusations of racism and drawn national attention to the GOP-led House. The fallout from the votes comes as the national GOP is already struggling to address accusations of racism and discrimination.
The recording also reveals that some Republican lawmakers were concerned that the expulsion votes would hurt the party’s chances in the upcoming 2022 elections. The Republican Party of Tennessee has yet to comment on the matter.
The Tennessee House of Representatives has been criticized for its lack of diversity, with only three Black members out of 99 total. This incident has further highlighted the need for increased diversity in the state’s legislature.
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