‘Tennessee Three’ Lawmaker Justin Jones Filed A Lawsuit Over His Expulsion. Here’s Where Things Stand Now.

Tennessee Representative Justin Jones posted a somber reminder on social media about the impact of guns on children, marking the 11th anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre on December 14 and highlighting recent incidents, including the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, where six people lost their lives.

“Today marks 11 years since the Sandy Hook massacre where 20 children’s lives were taken who should be teenagers now. Last year, it was 19 at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. This year, it was six at Covenant School in Nashville,” Jones posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Our kids deserve a country that protects them, not guns,” he wrote.

Jones’ comments come just two months after he filed a federal lawsuit against the state House Speaker and House administrative officials alleging that Republicans repeatedly violated his constitutional rights after he was expelled from the state legislature for joining protesters to demand tougher gun laws. Here’s the latest on where things stand. 

Federal Lawsuit

Jones filed a federal lawsuit against the state House Speaker and House administrative officials, alleging repeated violations of his constitutional rights, USA Today reports. This action followed his expulsion from the state Legislature for participating in the gun reform protests.

“Tennessee Three”

Jones, along with fellow Democrats Rep. Justin Pearson and Rep. Gloria Johnson, faced expulsion for participating in gun reform protests following the Covenant School shooting; they were dubbed the “Tennessee Three.” Jones and Pearson were expelled in April, but Johnson was not. The two Black lawmakers were reinstated days later. 

Legal Argument

The federal lawsuit alleges that the expulsion deprived Jones of committee appointments and affected his legislative tenure, potentially impacting his eligibility for retirement benefits, according to USA Today. He also claims that after his expulsion, he had to spend $70,000 and resources to mount a second election campaign. The lawsuit also claims that the expulsion proceedings violated the Fourteenth Amendment due to a lack of due process. Jones claims the period between his expulsion notice and hearings was insufficient for a proper defense.

The lawsuit also challenges the constitutionality of new rules established during a special session, which allowed the House to block a lawmaker from speaking if they cause a substantial disruption or “impugn the reputation” of another House member. The rules also banned signs in House galleries and committee meetings. The new rules sparked controversy as members of the public, including mothers advocating for increased gun safety regulations, were ejected from a committee meeting for carrying signs. 

Additionally, the complaint alleges that the defendant’s actions have burdened the public, claiming that they “disenfranchise the citizens of the 52nd House District by depriving them of representation in the people’s house by the person they have now elected twice within the past nine months to speak for them.” Jones asks for the “full restoration of the benefits, rights, and privileges” he claims he lost due to the defendant’s actions. Jones — who still has not been reinstated to his committees — alleges that he lost a number of his state emails and additionally claims the expulsion resulted in an “ongoing deprivation” of his “duly earned retirement benefits.”