The Tennessee House’s move to expel two Black Democratic representatives from its chamber Thursday instigated major blowback Friday, with many political figures, media personalities and even figures in the entertainment industry saying the vote was steeped in racism.
Brian Ray, best known for being guitarist to Paul McCartney for the last two decades, is calling on more artists in his field to speak out against what he saw as an act of “tyranny.”
“TENNESEE, we need to talk,” Ray wrote on Twitter. “All of my incredible musician friends, songwriters, artists, & producers, must speak out against tyranny and in favor of representative democratic norms in your state. This is preposterous. Please speak up. #TyrannyInTennessee”
In a follow-up tweet, the musician went so far as to say that the Republican Party has a “kink” for self-harm, seeing how they shot themselves in the foot over the House vote.
“Way to further engage ALL people including PoC, millennials, first time voters, LGBTQ+, cementing an even bigger, more energized DEMOCRATIC base,” Ray wrote. “The Republican party’s kink for self-harm apparently knows no limit. #TyrannyInTennessee #HomeOfTheKKK”
Ray was responding to news Thursday that the Tennessee House voted to expel two Democratic representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, for engaging in a protest against gun violence and stymied gun reform following the fatal school shooting in Nashville last week. Their Democratic colleague, Rep. Gloria Johnson, also partook in the protest but was permitted to stay.
The GOP supermajority, which accused Jones, Johnson and Pearson of breaking House rules on conduct and decorum, voted 72-75 to expel Jones and 69-26 to expel Pearson, who are both Black. But the resolution to expel Johnson, who is white, failed by one vote, with the final tally coming in at 65 to 30.
The fact that Johnson was allowed to remain on the House floor while two Black colleagues were expelled has gained media traction going into the weekend as the latest example of racism within the Republican Party.
It is likely that a career musician like Ray called for the support of his music industry contemporaries in part because of Nashville’s reputation as a historic musical incubator for country and rock ‘n’ roll acts. Responding to one fan who said “don’t hold your breath” for country music stars to join up in support, Ray wrote, “I can understand your generalization, but there are tons of liberal musicians, writers, producers, who make that state, what it is in the arts, who are just sitting on their hands right now.”
Responding to another, Ray noted that the likes of Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton and Sheryl Crow – all of whom haven’t shied from getting political in the past – will likely have something to say about the actions in Tennessee, as well.
“Why is it always women and people of color who have the courage to voice their passion?” he questioned.
According to a report by the state attorney general, the Tennessee House of Representatives has only used its power to expel three times in its 157-year history: six members were expelled in 1866 “for the contempt of the authority of this House,” a member was expelled in 1980 for seeking a bribe in exchange for tanking a piece of legislation, and a representative was expelled in 2016 amid state and federal investigations of sexual misconduct. Under the Tennessee Constitution, lawmakers cannot be expelled for the same offense twice.
County commissions in each of the expelled lawmakers’ districts will choose replacements to serve until a special election can be held, according to the Associated Press. The commissions could choose Jones and Pearson, letting them return to the Capitol. The expelled lawmakers also would be eligible to run in the special elections to fill the seats.
Lucas Manfredi contributed to this report.