NASHVILLE — Leaked audio reveals tempers boiled over during a Tennessee House Republican caucus meeting this week, days after GOP members fell one vote short of expelling Rep. Gloria Johnson, a white Democrat from Knoxville, while removing two Black Democrats from office in an action that drew a tsunami of national news coverage, most of it negative.
Republicans expelled Democratic Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville and Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis for leading a protest complete with bullhorns on the House floor on March 30 after a mass shooting three days earlier at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville.
Three 9-year-old children and three adults died. The shooter was killed by police.
(READ MORE: Kamala Harris leads Tennessee rally, backs ousted lawmakers)
Johnson, Jones and Pearson participated in the protest, marching to the well of the chamber in the name of gun reforms, prompting House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, to declare a recess. Video played in proceedings shows Johnson did not use the bullhorn and mostly stood by as the young freshmen lawmakers led the protest.
Audio clips from the Monday GOP Caucus meeting, posted on Twitter by the Tennessee Holler, a progressive news and advocacy site, reveals Republicans lashing out at Reps. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, who was in the meeting, as well as Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, who was not present.
Both Barrett and Terry supported expelling Jones and Pearson. But they balked at expelling Johnson. The split outcome led to accusations of racism because Johnson is white and the ousted members are Black. Jones and Pearson have since been reinstated.
The GOP ouster effort for Johnson failed to meet the two-thirds or 66-member threshold, with 65 votes to expel her.
Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, complained on the leaked recording that Black Democrats have "trashed us as racists."
"I've never had anybody call me a racist, and in the last three days, all I have heard from them is how this is the most racist place" with "white supremacists," Zachary continued. "Good Lord, we have to realize they are not our friends. They destroy the republic, the foundation of who we are, while we preserve it."
Zachary also said: "I feel like we were hung out to dry by a couple of members" and demanded Barrett explain why he changed his vote at the last minute.
Barrett, an attorney, said, "I know what she did. I know that she did break the rules. I know that she deserved to be expelled, but we've got to do it right, and that wasn't right. I went back to my desk. I sat there and had my internal debate on what to do. The bell rings, I am concerned that I am going to vote yes on a resolution I know is wrong."
Barrett also said he had raised concerns in advance, including the fact that the language in all three Republican resolutions was the same despite differences in actions by each of the lawmakers, who came to be known as the Tennessee three.
Barrett said he sought permission from Garrett to "go off script" and ask questions in a way to help better establish the Republicans' case for the expulsion of Johnson. But Barrett said Sexton didn't call on him prior to the vote.
Other Republicans said Johnson walking to the House well without permission was cause enough, whether she used a bullhorn or not.
(READ MORE: Second expelled lawmaker Pearson to return to Tennessee House after vote)
House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, a Goodlettsville Republican and attorney, said he was dismayed by Barrett's decision, according to the recording.
"We had the jury already. This obviously wasn't a trial — but I knew every single one of your votes counts. I knew that we did not have to convince you all," Garrett said in the audio. "When you came up to me with about 2 minutes left of Gloria's final closing and said you didn't want to do it, I was shocked."
Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, voted to oust all three lawmakers. He said other Republicans should have voted that way, too, on the leaked audio.
"You've got to do what's right — even if you think it might be wrong — you've got to do what's right," Cepicky said. "You've got to protect this freaking republic here in Tennessee, or you know what, let's all go the hell home. I'm getting gray hair sitting here listening to this bull----."
According to the Tennessee Holler audio, Cepicky also said, "If you don't believe we're at war for our republic, with all love and respect to you, you need a different job. The left wants Tennessee so bad, because if they get us, the Southeast falls."
It's not known who recorded the audio and leaked it to the Tennessee Holler.
(READ MORE: 'Tennessee 3' are unworthy heroes and more letters to the editors)
Tennessee House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons of Nashville, an attorney, said Republicans "obviously" thought they were speaking in confidence in their meeting.
"But I think it shows exactly how completely tone deaf and out of touch they are," Clemmons said. "They're more interested in toeing the party line than justice. It's pretty enlightening as to how they think."
Davidson County and Shelby County commissions later reappointed Jones and Pearson to their seats. Jones came back last week and immediately began challenging Republicans. Pearson came to the chamber Thursday. Both lawmakers gained a national profile during their exile, appearing repeatedly on network television.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-285-9480.