MILWAUKEE (AP) — The expulsion of two young, Black lawmakers from the Tennessee state legislature left Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins struggling to put his feelings into words.
In an act of political retaliation, Tennessee Republicans on Thursday expelled two Democratic lawmakers from the state legislature for their role in a protest demanding more gun control in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. A third Democrat was narrowly spared by a one-vote margin.
The expulsion votes for the three lawmakers stemmed for what was deemed as an unlawful protest inside the state capital in Nashville.
“It’s been a lot to wrap my head around,” Jenkins told reporters before the Grizzlies faced the Bucks in Milwaukee on Friday night. “I think it’s a very difficult day for democracy. It’s a difficult day for democracy in the state of Tennessee. These two young men are trying to stand up for something they believe in, and they get expelled.”
Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who are both Black, were banished, while Rep. Gloria Johnson, who is white, narrowly survived the vote on her expulsion. Visitors in the gallery let out screams and boos following the vote. Accusations of racism followed, although Republican leadership denied that race was a factor.
“That’s something that’s really hard and it hits home, obviously, being in Memphis, Tennessee,” Jenkins said. “It’s definitely a very difficult time right now. I’m not going to go into more details but as you can tell I’m still struggling trying to figure out what to say, knowing that this is the outcome of two people trying to stand for what they believe in.”
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Rich Rovito, The Associated Press
