NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Two Democratic lawmakers from a trio known as the "Tennessee Three" were expelled from the state House of Representatives Thursday, a move that stirred controversy and prompted protests at the state capitol.
While Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, survived the vote, Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, were ousted.
Each had resolutions filed against them by GOP lawmakers Andrew Farmer, Gino Bulso and Bud Hulsey after they used a bullhorn to protest gun violence with civilians during session last week.
This comes just days after the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, where six lives were taken by an active shooter, including that of three innocent children.
The resolutions issued by GOP leaders dubbed their actions as "disorderly behavior." So who exactly are the Tennessee Three?
Justin Jones
Jones hails from Oakland California and was born in 1995, making him one of the youngest members of the House at only 27 years old. Jones graduated from Fisk University in Nashville with a B.S. in political science, where he was involved in a number of activist organizations. He is currently working on a master's degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt University.
On Jan 10, 2023, Jones became a member of The Tennessee House, taking Mike Stewart's seat. Some of the bills he has sponsored include requiring police to only use marked vehicles for non-emergency traffic stops, removing the state's ability to contract with private prisons and to allow student IDs for voter identification.
Jones is known for his numerous arrests prior the the protests he was involved with last week, many of them involving protests and activism.
Here is a list of a few of the charges made against him in the arrests:
- Refusing to leave a Marsha Blackburn Rally – Oct. 2018
- Assaulting Glen Casada, a member of the House, by allegedly throwing a drink at him – 2019
- Organizing a 62-day sit-in protest for racial justice outside the state capitol following George Floyd's murder in 2020
Gloria Johnson
Johnson, 60, is a retired school teacher who currently represents Knoxville. Born in Colorado, she moved to Knoxville in childhood and received a B.A. in education from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Some of the bills she has sponsored include a bill to protect Duck River in Maury County by designating it as a Class II Scenic River and a bill making it an offense to store a a gun in a motor vehicle or boat when the person is not in the mode of transport unless the firearm is locked in a certain way.
Justin Pearson
Similarly to Jones, Pearson is one of the youngest lawmakers in the Tennessee House at 28 years old. He was elected in early 2023 in a Jan. 24 special election.
Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and went on to graduate from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, with a major in government & legal Studies and a minor in education studies.
The main focus of his activism work is environmentalism: he is the founder of the advocacy group "Memphis Community Against Pollution."
