MEMPHIS, Tenn. — State Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville announced Tuesday he has filed a lawsuit against Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton and others following his expulsion and attempts to silence him during debate.
The lawsuit in Nashville federal court names Sexton, TN House Chief Clerk Tammy Letzler, TN House Chief Sergeant at Arms Bobby Trotter, and TN House Assistant Chief Clerk and Parliamentarian Daniel Hicks. It argues that Republicans have repeatedly blocked Jones from speaking during debate in violation of free speech rights under the state and federal constitutions.
Additionally, the lawsuit by the Nashville member of the “Tennessee Three” contends his constitutional due process rights were infringed upon by the expulsion proceedings.
“Today my attorneys filed a federal lawsuit to hold Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton responsible for his unconstitutional and discriminatory actions,” said Rep. Jones on X (formerly Twitter). “The people of District 52 deserve to have their voices heard without the threat of undemocratic silencing and retaliation.”
Beyond seeking that the expulsion and the House rules on debate be declared unconstitutional, the lawsuit also says Jones should be returned to a committee from which he was removed; restored other benefits, including his seniority level pre-expulsion and a full year's credit in the state's retirement system; and awarded other damages and costs.
The lawsuit seeks to prevent Sexton and the state “from continuing to suppress dissent, whether through the updated House rules or otherwise, and to seek full restoration of the benefits, rights, and privileges that they illegally stripped from him (Jones) in retaliation for his protected speech.”
In April, just days after a school shooting in Nashville that killed 6 people, Jones joined fellow Democratic Reps. Justin Pearson of Memphis and Gloria Johnson of Knoxville – dubbed the Tennessee Three - as they walked to the front of the state House floor with a bullhorn. The trio joined the chants and cries for gun control legislation by protesters in the public galleries and outside of the chamber.
The violation of House protocols quickly sparked outrage among Republican lawmakers, who demanded they be expelled for violating House rules — a punishment that had only been used a handful of times since Reconstruction.
Pearson and Jones, who are both Black, were expelled, while Johnson, who is white, was spared by one vote. Both men were reelected to their positions.
During the special session in August, Jones was ruled out of order twice, and after the second time during a discussion on law enforcement officers assigned to serve as school resource officers, the House voted to silence him for the rest of the day, barring him from being recognized and unable to introduce bills or amendments.
The punishments for lawmakers increase each time they're ruled out of order. After the fourth time they are silenced, they can't be recognized for the rest of the session.
Rep. Pearson said during the special session, Republican Rep. Gino Bulso of Brentwood was ruled out of order twice, but Daniel Hicks said the first ruling was just a warning.
Rep. Sexton said after Jones was silenced, “The House rules were voted on by members at the start of special session and adopted by the legislative body. The body has the ability to affirm or deny the Speaker’s decision to rule Rep. Jones out of order. The body affirmed the Speaker’s decision.”
At the end of the session, Pearson and Jones were seen holding up signs and walking near Sexton as he was trying to leave the chamber. Sexton appeared to move toward Pearson to avoid a photographer when the two made contact.
Pearson released a statement after news of the lawsuit, saying, "Democracy is the bedrock of our society and must be fiercely protected. Any threat, no matter the source, must be confronted and addressed with our voices, votes and, in this case, judicial intervention. Speaker Cameron Sexton tarnished our democracy through his abuse of power and the draconian, unjust House rules imposed upon the Tennessee General Assembly. I support my colleague Rep. Justin Jones and his right to seek judicial recourse to quash the unconstitutional efforts to undermine the democratic process and disenfranchise our constituents of their due representation."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.