‘Get Outta Here!’ Tennessee Lawmaker Goes BALLISTIC on Republicans for Expelling Democrat from House

Democratic Tennessee state Rep. John Ray Clemmons delivered a fiery speech against the expulsion of his colleague from the state House of Representatives on Thursday.

The Republican-dominated legislature voted to expel Rep. Justin Jones (D) the week after he joined a protest against gun violence on the House floor. As of this writing, two other Democratic lawmakers were awaiting expulsion votes after they also joined the protest.

The demonstration occurred days after a shooter gunned down three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville.

Ahead of the vote on whether to expel Jones, Clemmons delivered impassioned remarks as a “point of order” against a motion to end debate and proceed to a vote on expulsion:

We are talking about nothing less than 75 people overruling the wishes of 78,000 people! And you’re gonna cut off debate? Give me a break! Is this a circus? You are talking about kicking somebody out of this body. Grow up! If you can’t sit through a conversation or a debate on something no less than expelling a colleague, grow up! Get outta here! You don’t belong here! You want to call the question?

I am humiliated. I’m embarrassed. Look at the rules of procedure – the ethic rules. “The purpose of this is to hold the respect and confidence of the people. Representatives should avoid conduct that even appears to violate the trust people have placed in them.”

What are we doing?!

Ladies and gentlemen, the point of order is if you don’t want to sit here and have this discussion, withdraw the resolution. Let’s move on to the people’s business and actually address the issue that created what made you uncomfortable. The loss of life – not just some six losses of lives, people in every community across this state, they continue to be killed by gun violence.

At that point, Republican Speaker Cameron Sexton cut off Clemmons and noted he was not raising a point of order.

The House expelled Jones shortly after Clemmons’ speech.

WSMV-NAS (NBC) Nashville

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