Democratic lawmaker Rep. Justin Jones tried to enter the room where Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican in Tennessee, was giving a press availability. State troopers blocked him from access, Jones said.
Taking to social media, Jones posted two photos of the statehouse door where the briefing about the legislative session was unfolding.
"I have stayed to listen to his weekly comments to be informed of his deceptive narratives," wrote Jones. "He continues to prove he is drunk with power."
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Sexton presided over the session in which the GOP-run legislature voted on whether Jones and two other Democratic members would be kicked out of their offices for standing with those angry over inactivity in the wake of the Covenant High School shooting. Two members, Jones and another Black member, Justin Pearson, were removed, but their districts quickly voted to reinstall them to their posts.
Sexton claimed in a video at the time that the reason that the Democrats should be expelled was that "they were inciting violence." When asked how, he had a rough time answering.
"Well, they were tryin' to jazz people up," Sexton said. "When we have—"
"Incite violence," the reporter asked again.
"When we have representatives trying to go to the restroom, they got spit on," Sexton complained.
“The two governing bodies will make the decision as to who they want to appoint to these seats," a statement from Sexton's office said at the time. "Those two individuals will be seated as representatives as the constitution requires.”
"Do you have any evidence that these three members were encouraging protesters to spit on members or troopers?" the reporter asked.
"I mean, you can't prove that," said Sexton.
The incident raised Sexton's profile to such a degree that he ended up as a punchline on John Oliver's Sunday night show.
