This week, Republican lawmakers censured Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr, a Democrat, who is transgender, after he said that his colleagues who voted on a bill outlawing irreversible transgender care would have “blood on [their] hands.”
To recap, Townhall covered how Zephyr told Republican lawmakers during a House debate that they would have “blood on your hands” over S.B. 99, which would restrict irreversible transgender treatments for minors.
"The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments I hope the next time there's an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands," Zephyr told the lawmakers.
Rep Zooey Zephyr of Missoula said the following when debating SB99 Amendments.
— Montana Freedom Caucus (@MTFreedomCaucus) April 18, 2023
“The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands.” pic.twitter.com/wuhlympbLq
Shortly after, the Montana Freedom Caucus called for the immediate censure of Zephyr.
“While individual legislators have condemned his behavior, the legislature itself has not yet issued a collective statement acknowledging the wrongdoing and upholding a commitment to civil discourse,” the statement said.
“This kind of hateful rhetoric from an elected official is exactly why tragedies such as the Covenant Christian School shooting in Nashville occurred,” it added. The killer, as Townhall covered, was a transgender person.
Our Caucus is calling for the immediate censure of transgender Rep. Zooey Zephyr after his threatening and deeply concerning comments on the House floor earlier today. #mtpol pic.twitter.com/fDggbLKsJS
— Montana Freedom Caucus (@MTFreedomCaucus) April 19, 2023
On Wednesday, the Montana House voted 68-32 to block Zephyr from the House floor for the rest of the legislative session. Zephyr will reportedly still be able to cast votes remotely.
Republican state Rep. Sue Vinton, the majority leader, introduced the measure and said that Zephyr’s actions “disrupted and disturbed the orderly proceedings of this body,” the Times noted.
Reportedly, some lawmakers also accused Zephyr of encouraging an “insurrection” at the House, which Julio covered:
Zephyr's supporters in the viewing gallery shouted and chanted to show solidarity, forcing the House to suspend its proceedings until the agitators could be removed. Some of the protesters resisted being pushed out by the Montana Highway Patrol, with others banging on the doors to the gallery.
At least five people were arrested. When the sheriff used the wrong pronoun to describe a suspect, the pro-transgender protesters got upset.
Left-wing protesters bang on the doors to the Montana House Gallery. They are there protesting a @MTFreedomCaucus led effort to censure a transgender Democrat who told them they had "blood on their hands" for banning child mutilation. pic.twitter.com/WhqPbg23dm
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 24, 2023
Earlier this month, transgender and gun control activists stormed the Tennessee state Capitol and the Kentucky Capitol, which Townhall covered.