Tennessee Democrats stripped of House committee seats over redistricting protests
CNN • • nation
Key Points:
- Tennessee House Republicans removed all committee assignments from Democratic lawmakers as punishment for their protests during a special session on redistricting.
- The protests followed the approval of a new congressional map that dismantled a Black-majority district centered around Memphis, likely flipping the seat from Democrat to Republican.
- Opponents argue the redistricting echoes Jim Crow-era racial discrimination, while Republicans cited disruptions such as lawmakers linking arms and using noisemakers as justification for the disciplinary action.
- Democratic leaders condemned the redistricting and the punitive measures as abuses of power and racial discrimination, vowing to continue opposing the changes despite retaliation.
- Republicans hold a significant majority in the Tennessee House with 75 seats compared to 24 held by Democrats, enabling the swift passage of the new map and disciplinary actions.