FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — 15 Kentucky House Democrats joined more than 200 other legislators across the United States in condemning the action to expel three Democratic lawmakers in Tennessee for protesting gun violence on the House floor.
In a letter organized by the State Innovation Exchange, a progressive legislation advocacy group, lawmakers said that they "stand in solidarity with Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson as they face the threat of expulsion for simply standing with the people they are elected to serve."
"Any attempts to silence these elected leaders for exercising their constitutional right to protest are anti-democratic," the letter said.
Rep. Chad Aull, a Democrat representing part of Fayette County, said he was proud to put his name on the letter.
"Every legislator, regardless of your party, should want to put their name on that letter. Because this is not a Democratic or Republican issue," said Aull. "This is an American issue, where we have got to stand up for the common rights for our people to express their opinions."
Aull says the expulsion efforts in Tennessee go "too far." He argues that part of a legislator's job is to speak out for his or her people. Punishing lawmakers for doing that is an attack on democracy, Aull added.
"That's what these representatives were doing. They were standing with their constituents, with their people, and expressing their views and their opinions," said Aull. "And that's part of a working democracy. That's what we have here. We have an attack on the foundation of a working democracy."
The Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus also condemned the actions in Tennessee by endorsing a statement from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
"Reps. Gloria Johnson and NBCSL members—Justin Jones and Justin Pearson led protesters in the galleries calling for gun reform," the letter reads. "House leadership has now villainized the trio’s actions calling it an “insurrection.”
