A chaotic scene played out in Nashville Thursday night as the Republican supermajority of the Tennessee State House voted to expel state Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, and state Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, for violating House rules on decorum last week when they demanded a debate on gun control following a school shooting in the city the week before.
Jones and Pearson are both Black. The Tennessean reports that a similar effort to remove white lawmaker, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, failed by a single vote to reach the two-thirds vote required.
Georgia Democrats reacted in shock at the expulsions, a punishment that has been reserved in Tennessee previously for members found guilty of sexual assault and bribery.
“What message does it send to expel public servants for standing up for our children?” said Georgia House Minority Leader James Beverly. “This is not democracy. This is tyranny.”
Beverly called the expulsions an abuse of power. “We stand with the Tennessee Three.”
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
State Sen. Jason Esteves, D-Atlanta, said the votes in Tennessee “represents the apex of what’s wrong with politics today, including right here in Georgia. GOP leaders have repeatedly demonstrated cowardice in the face of the gun violence epidemic, yet have no problem with attacking the basic tenets of a representative democracy.”
State Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, said the GOP supermajority used “their raw power to try to silence two young Black representatives — in stark contrast to the white representative they didn’t expel.”
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
And state Rep. Teri Anulewicz, D-Smyrna said the precedent of a House expelling elected members for “disorderly conduct” is deeply troubling.
“Who defines that? How can it be weaponized in the future? Will it be weaponized?”
Could the same thing happen in Georgia? The answer, technically, is yes. Rule 82 of the House says that infractions of House rules of debate are first dealt with by a fine of no more than $1,000. If a member repeatedly violates the rules, “such member may be expelled from the House by a two-thirds’ vote of the members.”
State senators can also be expelled by two-thirds vote. But unlike Tennessee, Republicans in Georgia do not have a two-thirds majority in either the House or the Senate.
And even Democrats dismissed the notion that Speaker Jon Burns, whose first term as Speaker this year was largely collegial with members of both parties, would take that kind of a step. “I refuse to believe that’s possible,” one Democrat said.
With that said, some conservatives in Georgia dismissed Democrats’ outrage as theatrics.
In response to a video of one of the ousted lawmaker’s anger after being expelled, Cole Muzio, the president of the conservative Frontline Policy Action, wrote on social media, “It’s so cute. They think they are like fellow freedom fighters or something.”
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Credit: Todd Heisler/The New York Times
Credit: Todd Heisler/The New York Times
LISTEN UP. We’ve got a special crossover episode of the Politically Georgia podcast featuring the AJC’s Bill Rankin and Tamar Hallerman, the dynamic duo from the Breakdown podcast. We’re unpacking the historic week that saw former President Donald Trump charged with 34 felony crimes in New York.
Since Bill and Tamar are the experts on the Fulton County investigation into Trump, we look at the case against the former president in New York, how it could affect a case in Georgia, and what to expect from both, even as the 2024 presidential election gets closer every day.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or your favorite podcasting platform.
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UGA CONNECTION. An explosive ProPublica investigation revealed Thursday that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas repeatedly accepted luxury vacations from GOP mega-donor Harlan Crow.
The report has a vivid Georgia connection as it describes a painting that hangs at the billionaire’s Camp Topridge enclave showing Crow and Thomas smoking cigars together. They were joined by a trio of attorneys that included Peter Rutledge, the current dean of the University of Georgia School of Law, who is a former Thomas law clerk.
Credit: Allison V. Smith/The New York Times
Credit: Allison V. Smith/The New York Times
You may also remember Rutledge for another reason. Fulton County grand jurors involved in the investigation of Donald Trump told the AJC that Rutledge was the first witness to provide testimony to the panel. From the story:
Rutledge, who appeared under subpoena, explained presidential election law and repeatedly told jurors he was nervous because he didn't want to make mistakes.
Rutledge was an interesting choice for Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat. He once clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, among the most conservative members of the high court.
Jurors said they found Rutledge's presentation — in which he explained the legal process after ballots after they're cast — highly instructive.
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CALL TO RESIGN. In reaction to that ProPublica report about Justice Clarence Thomas’ travels on the GOP donor’s dime, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson has called for him to resign.
“To protect what is left of public respect for the United States Supreme Court, Justice Thomas must resign immediately,” the Lithonia Democrat said in a statement Thursday.
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
“If he fails to do so, his fellow justices should censure him. Moreover, the Department of Justice should investigate his violation of federal law in failing to disclose his private yacht and jet travel as required by law, and the state bar associations to which he belongs should commence investigations to determine whether Justice Thomas remains fit to retain his license to practice law.”
Johnson is the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee’s Courts Subcommittee.
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WINDY CITY. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made the case this week that the victory of a left-leaning candidate in the open race for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat bodes well for Chicago’s bid for the Democratic National Convention.
Pritzker called the Midwest “a blue wall" for Democrats, adding, “that was proven out last night. I do think that this puts us in the pole position to win the convention."
Some in the Chicago contingent pushing their DNC bid had worried that Vallas winning the mayor's race would complicate their efforts given critical remarks he had made about Chicago itself and a slew of top elected leaders, including Pritzker. They were heartened by the fact that Biden and DNC officials waited until the mayor's race was over to decide.
Atlanta, Chicago and New York are in the mix for the showcase political event. In an unusual twist, both New York and Atlanta could be the site of prosecutions against former President Donald in 2024, if Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis moves to indict the former president.
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“RIDICULOUS.” Speaking of Fani Willis, the Fulton County DA dismissed comments from former President Donald Trump attacking her this week during a speech at Mar-A-Lago as “ridiculous.”
In an interview with Channel 2 Action News, Willis said, “The comment does not concern me at all. But I support his right to be protected by the First Amendment and say what he likes. … People have the right to say whatever they choose to say as long as it does not rise to the level of threats against myself, my staff or my family.”
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
SOLAR SPARKS. Vice President Kamala Harris’ visited Dalton on Thursday to announce a new solar investment, it happened in U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s congressional district.
And the vice president didn’t exactly get the welcome wagon.
As Harris’ motorcade arrived in the northwest Georgia town, Greene supporters lined the streets waving signs saying, “Trump won.” Separately, Greene held a protest for former President Donald Trump this week outside the New York courthouse where he was indicted.
Ali Zaidi, the chief White House climate adviser, called it “somewhat ironic that this investment that’s taking place in Dalton, Georgia, is taking place in a district represented by someone who not only didn’t vote for the tax incentives that are responsible for bringing this, but wants to repeal them.”
In a statement, the RNC said the White House’s “out-of-touch agenda is crushing Peach State families and workers with higher prices, lower savings, and tighter incomes.”
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Credit: Alyssa Pointer/AJC
Credit: Alyssa Pointer/AJC
LOEFFLER MOVES. Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler is continuing to keep a high profile Georgia, even as she holds no public office.
Loeffler was in Albany Thursday to tour Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and its new Mobile Wellness Unit. Loeffler donated $1 million to the hospital in 2020 after it became one of the hardest hit facilities in the country during the COVID pandemic. Loeffler’s donation went to fund the custom-built traveling clinics.
Loeffler also went to Albany State University, where she dropped off a $10,000 check for nursing scholarships.
Separately on Wednesday, Loeffler wrote a commentary in the Washington Examiner, hammering Fulton County DA Fani Willis and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg for investigating former President Donald Trump while they also face backlogs of violent criminal cases in their jurisdictions.
“The next time you see headlines from liberal media about “threats to democracy,” remember the real threat: partisan district attorneys who sacrifice your family’s safety to score political points,” she wrote.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden has no public events scheduled.
- The U.S. House and Senate are on an Easter and Passover recess until April 17.
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Credit: Stephen B. Morton for the AJC
Credit: Stephen B. Morton for the AJC
DRIVING WHILE BLACK. U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson is helping lead the Congressional Black Caucus’ effort to urge Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement.
Along with Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Ayana Pressley, Johnson led 26 Black Caucus members on a letter urging Buttigieg to “condemn the status quo” and “develop reforms to reduce racial inequities in traffic stops.”
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. With Easter fast approaching, we don’t think you’ve met enough rabbits yet. And who knew our readers were so bunny happy?
Well, they are. So we present to you not one, but two Easter bunnies to take you into the holiday weekend.
Ducky Van Brimmer lives in Savannah, usually underneath the bed of Dutch Van Brimmer, whose dad is Savannah Morning News managing editor and columnist, Adam Van Brimmer. Yes, the family of a newsman named their bunny “Ducky.” And the Ducky-the-Bunny is the Dog of the Day.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
Sharing the Easter honor is Rabun Bleu Davis, a 5-year-old Booted Blue Mini Rex rabbit. Rabun’s person (and Jolt subscriber) Charlotte Davis calls her, “Our version of a dog,” as she is house trained, loves to run, and eats “as many banana chips as she can get her four teeth on.”
And Rabun, you are our version of Dog of the Day.
Send us your pups of any political persuasion — and Easter bunnies, cats, etc.— to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us on Twitter @MurphyAJC.
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
