Congressman Cohen Asks Justice Department to Review the Expulsion of Tennessee State Representatives
Says action raises serious questions about motivation
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the Representative from Memphis and a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland asking for a Department of Justice review of the expulsion of Tennessee state Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, and a failed vote to expel Representative Gloria Johnson. The letter reads in part:
“While all three Representatives violated the rules of the House in their advocacy, expulsion is disproportionate discipline. The expulsion of a legislator from a legislative body inherently substitutes the judgment of other legislators for that of the district’s constituents. It should be reserved for conduct that is so egregious that it makes the elected official unfit to serve. The Tennessee House of Representatives, however, removed Representatives Jones and Pearson for “disorderly” conduct after protesting gun violence. This chilling event may have deprived these state legislators of their constitutional rights and, just as significantly, the rights of their constituents to be fully represented in the state legislature. The Tennessee House of Representatives has only expelled members twice since the Civil War. Those instances were very different…
“Prior to my service in Congress, I served in Tennessee State Senate for 24 years. I understand and appreciate the rules of decorum and how -- though they may be frustrating at times -- serve to guide our debates and keep our rhetoric civil. However, there are many ways other than expulsion to uphold these rules. The disproportionate response to the Representatives’ breach of decorum raises serious questions about the motivation for these extreme actions. I urge you to review these circumstances to demonstrate that there is no place in our democracy for these abuses of power.”
See the entire letter here.
Both Jones and Pearson have been reappointed on an interim basis by their respective county commissions.
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