Tipsheet

Democratic Presidents Past and Present Put Out Stunningly Ignorant Tweets on Expelled Tenn. Members

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  April 07, 2023 7:15 PM

On Thursday, as Matt highlighted, the Tennessee House voted to expel two Democratic state representatives, Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. A third member, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, barely survived expulsion though she was still stripped of her committee assignments. The members were found to have engaged in "disorderly behavior" and purposefully bringing "disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives" last week during a gun control protest at the Tennessee Capitol last week that quickly got out of control. 

It was hardly a peaceful protest, amounting to an insurrection even. Protesters also engaged in despicable behavior as they held up seven fingers as a way to claim that the alleged shooter who shot and killed six people at the Covenant School, Audrey Hale, was also a victim. With Hale being transgender, activists have turned the issue into being about gun control and supporting trans rights. 

The Biden administration and President Joe Biden himself have certainly gone with such a narrative. The president, from his official account tweeted out a statement condemning the actions of Tennessee House members. The statement is problematic throughout, but particularly glaring is how it claimed they "joined thousands of peaceful protesters calling for action."

Our friends at Twitchy highlighted the reactions to Biden's statements, especially in the context of how Biden has repeatedly condemned January 6, only to then mislead on the narrative of the protests. It also bears reminding, as so many of these users did, what distorted narrative Biden has on the shooting.

To add insult to injury, the president also tweeted how he further emboldened the three members by calling them "to thank them for their leadership and courage in the face of a blatant disregard of our nation’s democratic values."

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Recall how Democrats along with some RINOs impeached former and potentially future President Donald Trump over the January 6 Capitol riot, with his trial in the Senate not even taking place until he had already left office. 

Biden wasn't the only Democratic president to tweet out against the Tennessee Republican members' actions while showing support for the three Democrats. In addition to highlighting how our "nation was built on peaceful protest," former President Barack Obama ignorantly claimed that the members were expelled "simply for raising their voice."

Further, when it comes to his claim that "Silencing those who disagree with us is a sign of weakness, not strength, and it won’t lead to progress," perhaps Obama and his party should look in the mirror. 

Twitchy also highlighted how Obama received similarly critical responses as Biden did.