Tennessee
Republicans expel two black people from Parliament
Democratic Representatives Justin Pearson (from left), Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson hold up their hands as they walk through the doors of the House of Representatives at the Tennessee State Capitol. photo
© Nicole Hester/The Tennessean/AP/dpa
They had demonstrated in the Nashville House of Representatives for stricter gun laws – now two black Democratic MPs have lost their seats. The Republican majority voted in favour.
The extraordinary expulsion of two black members of the Tennessee state legislature for a demonstration for stricter gun laws has caused outrage in the United States. The whole thing was “shocking” and “undemocratic,” said US President Joe Biden on Thursday evening (local time).
The Republican-led chamber of legislature previously voted out Democratic MPs Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. A white MP, who was also supposed to be expelled, only just survived the vote. Racism accusations were raised.
The three people’s representatives took part in a demonstration in parliament last week for stricter gun laws. The background to this is that at the end of March, three children and three adults were shot dead in a shooting spree at an elementary school in Nashville. The Republicans accused the Democrats of bringing disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives and disrupting the work of the House of Representatives by their protest. After the exclusion, citizens protested loudly in the parliament building on Thursday.
Those who are excluded speak of racism
“If I didn’t know this happened to me, I would think it’s 1963 and not 2023,” expelled Rep. Jones said on US television on Friday morning (local time). He spoke of a “poisoned racist working atmosphere” in Parliament. The process is an attack on democracy – especially with regard to the representation of people of different skin colors in parliament.
The Congressional Black Caucus, an association of black members of the US Congress, called the vote “unprecedented”. The targeted exclusion of the two black MPs makes it clear that racism is alive in Tennessee. Former US President Barack Obama also spoke. The Democrat called what happened in the Tennessee House of Representatives an example of “a broader erosion of decency and democratic norms.” Republicans rejected the racism allegations.
The process in the state house of representatives is extremely unusual. It is true that there is the possibility of expelling deputies in many states. But this is not the political norm. It is not typically used as a weapon against political opponents. In the case of suspected misconduct, for example, an ethics committee is usually involved first. The deputies who have now been expelled could still soon be back in parliament in Nashville. There is a possibility that they will be selected in their constituencies as provisional replacement candidates for the seats that have become vacant. Even with a scheduled special vote, they are likely to compete again.