On Thursday, Tennessee Republicans expelled two Black Democrats from office for what was deemed a breach of decorum. Never in Tennessee history has any lawmaker been purged from government for speaking out of turn.
Political analyst Otis Sanford calls the actions "pure racism," evidenced by the fact that a white Democratic lawmaker who took part in the same demonstration was spared dismissal by Republicans who voted across party lines.
Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) and Justin Jones (D-Nashville) defended themselves during a hostile hearing, reiterating a call for new gun legislation in the wake of a school shooting in Nashville.
