NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A controversial vote by Republicans to silence Democrat Justin Jones during the legislature's special session has renewed questions about how the GOP supermajority uses its power to stifle debate in the Tennessee House.
Jones lost his ability Monday to participate in the on-going debate over public safety after being ruled out of order twice by House Speaker Cameron Sexton for what Sexton claimed was being off the topic of the bill being discussed.
New rules imposed by House Republicans for the special session set an escalating series of punishments for violation of debate rules.
"It's the voice of democracy getting slaughtered," said Nashville Democratic activist Larry Woods, who has coached politicians at every level of government on the fine art of debate.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates has previously revealed how the supermajority uses its power to limit what Democrats can say about Republican-backed bills.
In this case, what we found was certainly less than conclusive evidence that Jones did anything wrong during Monday's debate.
Following the partisan vote to silence the first-term representative, the gallery erupted into chants of "fascist, fascist, fascist." Democrats staged a walkout from the House chambers.
"Why is it that I can be permanently silenced for speaking out about issues that are germane to the legislation and germane to the concerns of my district?" Jones asked reporters.
Under the new House rules, if a member gets called out of order twice the same day, that member cannot speak for the rest of the day.
Jones' offense?
On a bill to expand the ability of private schools to allow people to carry guns on campus, he argued more guns was not the solution.
"What is one little Glock against an AR-15?" Jones asked his colleagues.
At that point, Sexton cut him off.
The bill was to expand a Tennessee law allowing private schools to expand gun carry policies for their campuses. Was Rep. Justin Jones out of order? You be the speaker! pic.twitter.com/yvafu78fxh
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) August 30, 2023
"Rep. Jones, that's not the bill that's before you, sir. You're out of order."
A few minutes later, on a bill to allow police to put officers in schools even if the district doesn't want them, his offense was arguing that more cops wasn't the answer.
"We need funding for mental health, for counselors, we need to pay our teachers better. We don't need more police in our schools," Jones argued.
Again, Sexton cut him off.
"Rep. Jones, you're off the bill again, sir. You're out of order. Sorry."
At that point, Republicans voted to silence the Nashville Democrat for the rest of the day.
The speaker defended the decision.
"You have to stay on the topic of the legislation," Sexton told NewsChannel 5 Investigates.
We noted: "It looks like that arguing we don't need more guns or more police in schools was the reason for him being silenced."
"It was about what he was saying that was not germane to the bill," Sexton replied.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates showed him Jones' remarks on the guns in private schools bill to Larry Woods.
Was he out of order?
The bill was to allow police to put officers in schools over the objection of local school districts. Was Rep. Justin Jones out of order? You be the speaker! pic.twitter.com/YFf3rA1G12
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) August 30, 2023
"No," Woods insisted.
"When people like state Rep. Justin Jones make a measured, calm, studious argument about here's what we ought to be looking at, here's what we ought to be doing, they want him exiled, they want him silenced and they manipulate the rules to do that."
We followed up: "This is legitimate debate in your mind?"
"Of course, it is."
As for Jones' argument against putting more cops in schools, Woods was dumbfounded about the reaction.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates noted: "That comment was considered to be the final straw."
"I was stunned," Woods said. "When I heard that was the comment, I thought surely that can't be right. This is no yelling and screaming kind of, that kind of debate. This is very calm, measured."
We noted to Sexton that Jones "was saying SROs are not the answer, better teacher pay is the answer, better mental health is the answer."
"But that's his opinion," the speaker countered.
We pushed back: "If his opinion, though, is that other things would better solve the problem than the bill being discussed, why should he not have the latitude to express that opinion?"
"Well," Sexton said, "because the rules on the House has always — and that's the Mason's rules as well — is that you stay germane to the topic of the bill."
Democrats saw a double standard when a Republican, Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, went off-topic to take a swipe at Jones.
Sexton interrupted him: "Representative Bulso, Representative Bulso, stay on the bill."
Rep. Gino Bulso was cautioned by the speaker to stick to his bill. Should he have been ruled out of order? You be the speaker! pic.twitter.com/9PzppwBdUf
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) August 30, 2023
NewsChannel 5 Investigates noted to Larry Woods, "So he tells him, stay on the bill, but he doesn't bang the gavel and rule him out of order. Is that a double standard?"
"Absolutely," Woods declared.
Sexton compared that incident to other occasions when he too had given Jones a warning.
We observed to the speaker: "It's pretty clear that Representative Jones has gotten under your skin. Do you feel like it's become personal?"
"I don't think he's under my skin," Sexton countered.
"I think what we are going to do is we are going to hold the rules and we're going to hold him accountable."
Larry Woods says he thinks Jones could have a lawsuit against Sexton for infringing on his free speech rights.
But the speaker says deciding what is or is not appropriate debate is his job.
With the GOP supermajority, there's no one to overrule him.
SPECIAL SECTION: Revealed
Do you have information for our investigation? Email us: investigate@newschannel5.com
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"It's the voice of democracy getting slaughtered."
New rules imposed by House Republicans for the special session set an escalating series of punishments for violation of debate rules, which were used in silencing Democrat Justin Jones. NewsChannel 5 Investigates found less than conclusive evidence that Jones did anything wrong.
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