Three Democrat Tennessee state lawmakers will be honored at the White House after they disrupted a legislative proceeding, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced Wednesday.
Legislators Justin Jones (D) and Justin Pearson (D) were expelled earlier in March for taking over the democratic debate in collusion with gun protesters who invaded the Tennessee Capitol. Gloria Johnson (D), a third representative, narrowly survived an expulsion vote. Both Jones and Pearson were restored to their positions by their respective municipalities.
The protest, which was dubbed an insurrection by Second Amendment advocates, occurred in the wake of the Nashville Covenant School shooting.
Biden wants to “thank them for speaking out and standing their ground and being very clear about what’s needed for our community,” Jean-Pierre told reporters.
Fox News’s Peter Doocy asked if any of the Nashville Covenant School shooting victims were also invited to the White House.
“You’re going to have three of the lawmakers who protested,” Doocy started before being interrupted.
“Peacefully protested,” Jean-Pierre interjected.
“Peacefully protested,” Doocy repeated before finishing his question, “after the Nashville Covenant School shooting. Have any of the victims or their families been invited to the White House?”
“I don’t have anything to read out to you on any invite,” Jean-Pierre responded.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.