Most TN House Democrats stripped of their committee assignments
WSMV • • nation
Key Points:
- House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) has removed all members of the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus from their committees and subcommittees, citing disruptive actions during a recent special session on redistricting.
- The removals followed Democrats' protests on the House floor, including blocking aisles and using noisemakers, which Sexton described as attempts to disrupt legislative processes.
- Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gabby Salinas, condemned the removals as retaliatory and racially motivated, vowing to continue their advocacy despite losing committee roles.
- House Minority Leader Karen Camper criticized the Republican supermajority for abusing power and changing rules to punish dissenting Democrats, emphasizing that committee removals will not stop their fight for voting rights and democracy.
- No similar removals have been reported among Democratic state senators, and the House has not yet commented further on the situation.