A Tennessee Republican cut an interview with CNN short while discussing the controversial expulsion of two Democrat lawmakers from the legislature.
Tennessee Republican Caucus Chair Rep. Jeremy Faison chair left CNN reporter Sarah Sidner stunned when he cut the interview short after she disputed Faison's claims the two expelled members were “riling up” an angry crowd of protestors who stormed the Capitol to advocate for gun control.
During their interview, Sidner appeared to go to bat for the punished lawmakers and the gun control activists swarming the Tennessee capitol. (RELATED: Tennessee GOP Moves To Expel House Democrats Over Link To Unruly Capitol Protest)
She stated, “You mentioned that you thought that the representatives were riling up the crowd, and I can tell you from the reporters that were out there, the crowd was already riled up.”
“Unfortunately, you weren't here. You didn't see it. That's exactly what they did,” he said.
After disputing Faison, Sidner alleged that the crowd was “extremely upset that your legislature wasn't trying to deal with the issue of keeping children safe in school but instead going after these two Democrats.”
Her combative line of questioning continued: “And I wonder, sir, who are you punishing? Because yes, you have kicked out these two Democrats, but there are tens of thousands of constituents that are also being punished and don't have any representation right now. What do you say to them?”
The tense exchange came after the Tennessee GOP-led House voted to expel Democrat Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson from the state legislature Thursday for their role in a protest calling for gun control following last week's shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville.
A third Democrat lawmaker, Rep. Gloria Johnson, was nearly expelled, though she was spared by one vote.
Republican Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton called for a recess and later pledged to hold the state Reps accountable. Sexton later wrote in a tweet that the lawmakers' participation in the protest was “unacceptable.”
“Their actions are and will always be unacceptable, and they break several rules of decorum and procedure on the House floor,” he said. “Their actions and beliefs that they could be arrested on the House floor were an effort, unfortunately, to make themselves the victims. In effect, those actions took away the voices of the protestors, the focus on the six victims who lost their lives, and the families who lost their loved ones.”
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CNN is told what to say even though they weren’t there. Lies from CNN everyday. Don’t need anymore gun laws need mental illness laws. These people getting guns are mentally ill but the government won’t put in their records so gun shops can stop these killers. Criminals buy illegal guns but these democrats think we’re too stupid to know that. How many Congress people have personal guards protecting their unamerican butts? They want the American people unarmed but they get protected with your tax money. These people screaming for taking your guns away will be the first ones running to your basement for protection. Big talkers but really cowards and unamerican.
Way to go, Mr. Faison. To gather an angry crowd and enter the chamber with a bullhorn was totally not in the rules. In governance, one should bring your comments and opinions up before the lawmakers and share views. Then take a vote. Democrats seem to get angry and violent when they only want THEIR views spoken. Those 3 who stood together deserved to be removed.
“Oh it’s alright! They are DemoCreeps on OUR side!’