A wild scene played out between two Tennessee state reps during a heated exchange on Wednesday. One of them threw himself in the face of the other in a threatening way while pointing a finger.
Videos shared on social media show Rep. Justin Pearson (D), who was angry after the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee rejected a gun-control bill Pearson had pushed, angrily walked up to Rep. Andrew Farmer.
According to reporters in the room, Farmer became upset when Pearson claimed that they hadn’t done anything to combat gun violence. Farmer said that Pearson was wrong to claim that they had not been working and referred to the fact that Pearson had been absent from some of the legislative agenda in progress. Pearson became irate and responded by mentioning that his brother had committed suicide with a gun in December. He falsely claimed Farmer had attacked him “personally”.
Pearson then marched up to Farmer, seeming to menace him after the vote had been taken.
“I know that every member of this committee has worked in the committee this year, during sessions, and voted on bills. You may be busy, but I don’t think you are.” Farmer said, “I don’t believe it’s fair that you come before this committee and lecture on hard work, convictions and hard work done by our committee.”
Pearson replied that he was absent because his brother had committed suicide by gun.
“It is a pathetic reason for you not to answer why we do nothing to stop the gun violence epidemic and then personally attack me. Let me tell you what I’ve been doing since you asked. My brother…one of my loves in life died from a gun suicide,” said Rep. Pearson.
“And since then, it has shattered our family just like gun violence has done to so many other families… I buried him. My fiancee wrote his obituary, and I took care of him even after his death.” Pearson said, “That’s what I have been doing.”
WKRN reported that Pearson was heard yelling at Farmer, telling him to “learn to shut up.” Pearson then charged physically towards Farmer and needed to be restrained.
The audience was heard shouting that Pearson should not be restrained because it is okay to physically intimidate fellow legislators.
Watch (language Warning)
Pearson was one the “Tennessee Three”, two of whom were excluded from the state’s legislature in March 2023 after leading a “transurrection,” where a mix of rabid gun control zealots and transgender “rights activists” stormed the state’s legislature and disrupted the official proceedings, as well as taking the speaker’s podium and yelling into a bullhorn.
Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones, both expelled members of their respective city councils/county commissioners, were reinstated not long afterward.
It’s also important to note that this wasn’t Pearson’s first physical encounter with a Republican. This also occurred during a debate about adding more police officers in public schools.
Justin Jones refused to follow the rules and objected. Cameron Sexton, the Speaker of the House, then called for a motion to have Jones silenced for the remainder of the day. This angered the leftist Jones fans, who created such chaos in the gallery that the police were forced to clear it. People resisted removal. Democrats walked out as well when GOP members refused to change their vote.
Jones then tried, on Tuesday, to get a no-confidence vote against Speaker Sexton. It didn’t go well. Even worse than the previous day.
Jones failed, even though Jones’s fans in the audience chanted “Vote Him Out.”
Justin Pearson and Justin Jones began to follow Sexton as he tried to leave the room after the session was adjourned. Pearson got between Sexton and the representative covering Sexton’s rear at one point. Then, there was a lot of pushing and shoving. Sexton shouted at Pearson, and Pearson shouted back.
Watch:
There is no excuse for such behavior, as Tennessee Rep. Diana Harshbarger noted in an article shared on Twitter/X. None:
Play stupid games and win stupid prizes. The people of Tennessee deserve better than this.
