Thousands of people flocked to the Capitol to support the three Democrats, cheering and chanting outside the House chamber so loudly that the noise drowned out the proceedings.
The trio held hands as they walked onto the House floor Thursday morning, and Pearson raised his fist to the crowd during the Pledge of Allegiance.
The calls for expulsion, which requires a two-thirds majority, stem from the attack at the Covenant School. Johnson, Jones and Pearson chanted back and forth from the chamber floor with gun-control supporters who packed the gallery. Even if they are expelled, the three lawmakers may not be gone for long. County commissions in their districts get to pick replacements to serve until a special election can be scheduled.
Outrage over the possible expulsion underscored not only the ability of the Republican supermajority to silence opponents, but also its increasing willingness to do so. Protesters outside the chamber held up signs that said, “School zones shouldn’t be war zones,” “Muskets didn’t fire 950 rounds per minute” with a photo of George Washington, and “You can silence a gun … but not the voice of the people.”
Before the expulsion vote, House members debated more than 20 bills, including a school safety proposal requiring public and private schools to submit their building safety plans to the state. The bill did not address gun control, sparking criticisms from some Democratic members that lawmakers were only addressing a symptom and not the cause of school shootings.
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