‘Tennessee Three’ Member Goes Off on GOP House Speaker, Gets Mic Cut After Accusing Him of Racial Discrimination

Tennessee Representative Justin Jones (D) was cut off at a House session after accusing the state’s House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) of racial discrimination.

Jones drew national headlines earlier this year when he and his fellow state representative, Justin Pearson (D), were ousted by the GOP-controlled Tennessee House of Representatives after they joined a statehouse protest against gun violence. Months after their reinstatement into office, Pearson and Jones both spoke against a special session the Tennessee legislature held on Monday to approve new rules to limit future speech and protests around the House.

During the session, Jones blasted the rules proposal over the powers it would give to Sexton, allowing him to shut down speech he deems disruptive. Jones also heavily insinuated that Sexton has discriminated against members of color in his capacity, arguing:

These rules talk about ruling a member out of order and silencing their voices. But my question is, where in the rules can we find a process to hold the speaker out of order when he misapplied the rules to members? Where, in these rules, can we rule the speaker out of order when he shuts off members’ microphones so they have to bring a megaphone to the House floor? Where, in these rules, can we hold the speaker accountable when he pushes members to the back so we have to walk up to the front of the well? Where, in these rules, do we hold the speaker accountable for abusing constitutional rights and misapplying the rules based off of a member’s skin color as opposed to treating every member in this body as an equal member?

Jones’ remarks were met with an outcry, to which, he responded, “You can boo, but the truth will be told.”

“That’s out of order,” Sexton responded. He then moved ahead to the next representative, cutting Jones off by telling him, “You’re out of order” — as microphones caught ongoing din from the room.

Jones was allowed to speak again later during the session, where he lamented legislative inaction on gun violence. Pearson also spoke at the hearing, where he declared, “The rules that are being put forward now are to limit freedom of speech.” Pearson added:

And it is not just the freedom of speech of representatives. You are limiting the freedom of speech of our constituents. Constituents who come here and say ‘We want you to do something about the environment or about gun violence, about community safety.’

You, with this rule, with these rules, are silencing our constituents’ voices. And how. With these rules, it would be out of order for anyone in these galleries to have an 8 by 11 piece of paper that says ‘Do Something’ or ‘Protect kids, not guns’ or ‘Ban assault rifles’ or ‘Stop mass shootings and act.’

They would be unable to go into committee rooms for you to see what it is that they are concerned about. Some signs say ‘I’m a Republican voter for gun safety.’ You’re saying, with these rules, that the folks who want you to know what they think are not deserving of being heard! That’s not democracy! That’s not who we are supposed to be. That is the abuse of power that got the country founded in the first place.

Watch above.