Tennessee statehouse expels Democrats for gun control protest. The Tennessee statehouse has expelled two Democratic politicians who led a gun control protest that halted legislative proceedings last week.
In a rare move, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 72-25 to expel Justin Jones and 69-26 to remove Justin Pearson.
But an expulsion vote failed against a third Democratic lawmaker, Gloria Johnson, who also joined the protest.
Republicans said the trio had brought "disorder and dishonour to the House". statehouse.
Mr Jones, 27, and Mr Pearson, 28, used a megaphone and banged on the House lectern as they made rousing speeches and addressed the protesters who crowded around the chamber's public viewing platform.
"We don't want to be up here, but we have no choice but to find a way... to disrupt business as normal, because business as normal is our children dying," Mr Pearson said.
The chamber's proceedings were brought to a standstill for nearly an hour.
All three also chanted "enough is enough" and "power to the people". Political analysists said Ms Johnson may have been spared expulsion because she did not use a megaphone.