Tennessee lawmaker rips GOP for killing a bill denouncing white supremacists – and refusing to even discuss it

After a Republican-controlled Tennessee House committee killed a resolution that would have officially condemned white supremacist violence, the Democrat who sponsored the bill is speaking out.

Nashville's Fox 17 reported Thursday that Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D) wrote House Joint Resolution 583 after the Charlottesville rally last August, and modeled the language after comments made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions calling the violence "domestic terrorism."

The symbolic law would have declared "the great State of Tennessee, and its people will not tolerate discrimination or hate in any form or manifestation and that we stand united with resolve to promote and ensure equality for all Tennesseans."

Nevertheless, it failed in the House State Government Subcommittee, which is led by Republican Bill Sanderson — and that other GOP members of the committee would not vote to have it discuss before it was dismissed.

"Generally, when something like that happens it's because everyone got together and planned it before-hand," Clemmons told Fox 17. "It was insinuated to me the Chairman told them to kill the bill by not seconding. Why, I can't begin to imagine."

"What example does this set for children when their own state won't denounce acts of violence by hate groups?" he continued. "We have blown a tremendous opportunity."