‘Tennessee Three’ expulsions violated First Amendment, report argues
The Brennan Center report argues that the expulsions of Tennessee State Reps. Justin J. Pearson (right) and Justin Jones (left) — who, with Rep. Gloria Johnson (center) of Knoxville, broke House rules of decorum by speaking out of turn in support of gun-safety legislation — were discriminatory, unconstitutional and without recent precedent. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)
Not since 1920, when the New York State Assembly ousted five representatives for being socialists during the post-World War I Red Scare, had a legislature expelled a member for their views.
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Justin J. Pearson Justin Jones Gloria Johnson Tennessee threeIan Round
Ian Round is The Daily Memphian’s state government reporter based in Nashville. He came to Tennessee from Maryland, where he reported on local politics for Baltimore Brew. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland in December 2019.
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