GOP Silences ‘Tennessee Three’ Democrat

“Republican lawmakers voted Monday to temporarily silence a Democratic member of the so-called Tennessee Three during an already tense House floor session after determining the young Black member violated newly enacted rules designed to punish disruptive members,” the AP reports.

“The move directed at Rep. Justin Jones prohibited him from speaking on and debating bills for the remainder of the day, which came a week into a special session that Republican Gov. Bill Lee called in reaction to a deadly shooting at a Christian elementary school in Nashville in March.”

Tennessean: “Anger exploded from the gallery as the House voted to silence Rep. Justin Jones for the day, after he was ruled as out of order twice by House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R). Fellow Democrats walked out of the session after the vote.”