'What are we doing?' Tennessee Democrat demands Republican apology over treatment of grieving moms

23 August 2023

Tennessee State Representative Jason Powell (D-53rd District) on Wednesday demanded that State Representative Lowell Russell (R-21st District) volunteer an apology for having grieving mothers forcibly removed from the legislative chamber during a Tuesday House Judiciary Civil Justice Subcommittee hearing on public safety.

Families of the students killed in the March 27th, 2022 massacre at Nashville's Covenant School were protesting Monday's passage of House Bill 7064, which The Daily Beast's Josh Fiallo explains "allows enhanced gun permit holders, cops, and military members—both active duty and retired, on-duty and off-duty—to be able to possess and carry a handgun at any public school building, bus, campus, or grounds."

Despite calls from parents and Republican Governor Bill Lee to "make it harder for mentally ill people to buy a gun," Fiallo notes, "Tennessee's deep-red state legislature" approved the legislation.

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"The chaotic scene was compounded by parents bursting into tears as troopers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol forced them out of the same meeting they'd been called to testify in," Fiallo adds. Lowell "justified the mass ejection by claiming that spectators had continued clapping, yelling, and holding signs after being ordered to stop" after "legislators adopted new rules for attending subcommittee meetings on Monday, banning the public from holding signs in galleries and committees."

Powell on Wednesday excoriated Powell for how constituents were treated:

I think the member and the chair of this Civil Justice Subcommittee owes the public and the people of Tennessee an apology for the way they were treated yesterday. That has no place in this building. And to turn a school shooting tragedy into a travesty of democracy and the First Amendment is shameful. And I would ask that member to share with many of these people who are in our audience today who couldn't be here and who are watching to express that apology and make sure that never happens again, that never happens again in this building. I warned about this on Monday when we passed these rules and look what this has led us to.

Shame on us. I believe in the value of freedom, democracy, and justice. This is the Civil Justice Committee! And if we can't let Tennesseeans gather in front of us peacefully and share their views, then what are we doing here as a subcommittee?

I respect my colleague and I would ask him and implore him to please offer an apology for what transpired yesterday. There were victims whose children died and whose children were there, present during Covenant who I saw — I was not there. It's a good thing I wasn't there. Let me be clear. It's a good thing I wasn't there, 'cause it would've gone down a lot different yesterday. And I can't believe...

Powell was interrupted by an "objection," but he powered through it.

"My name was called, and this is a personal order. I'm done. This is a speech. This is — I've asked for an apology," Powell concluded. "I'm giving that member a chance. If that's not gonna happen, so be it."

Watch Powell's remarks below via The Tennesee Holler or at this link.

Fiallo's report is available here (subscription required).

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