Photo: Getty Images
The "Tennessee Three," a trio of Tennessee lawmakers who made headlines for protesting gun violence on their chamber floor, are no longer expected to speak at the Democratic National Convention.
On Thursday (August 22) a Tennessee House Democratic caucus spokesperson said State Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson won't be speaking during the fourth and final night of the DNC in Chicago, per The Tennessean.
The group was reportedly bumped from the program amid last-minute scheduling changes.
The news comes as rumors swirl about a surprise speaker being slotted into Thursday's schedule. TMZ reported that Beyoncé is set to deliver a surprise performance as Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Tennessee Three were expected to call for measures to end gun violence on Thursday after Tennessee House Republicans voted to expel Jones and Pearson, both of whom are Black, for protesting the issue on the chamber floor in the wake of a March 2023 shooting at Nashville's The Covenant School. Johnson, who is white, also joined the protest but wasn't expelled from the House.
Days after their expulsions, local government bodies voted to reinstate Jones and Pearson to their seats. However, under state law, both were required to run for their old seats in primary and general elections.
Jones and Pearson won their special elections to keep their state seats in August 2023.
Nightly schedules for the DNC are usually released the day of and are subject to change. The Tennessee Three's bump isn't an unusual occurrence.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.