What Happens In Tennessee Won't Stay in Tennessee

On Friday, April 7, the Tennessee state legislature voted to expel two out of the three state representatives, Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, who protested on the chamber floor in the wake of a mass shooting that killed six people, including three 9-year-old children. Their expulsion was an unprecedented move, completely disregarding the norms of democracy and the will of voters. No Tennessee House member has ever been removed from elected office for simply violating decorum rules.

This week, Reps. Pearson and Jones were both reinstated to their elected seats in the State House, but the damage has been done.

Here to unpack all that has happened in Tennessee this week is Jeff Preptit, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Tennessee.