Tennessee Black Lawmakers Criticize Republican Meeting Audio

By Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout

April 17, 2023

Black lawmakers are denouncing secretly-recorded statements made by House Republicans, calling them “false” after the comments went public following the expulsion of two young Black legislators.

In the audio initially reported by the Tennessee Holler, Republican Rep. Jason Zachary of Knoxville said he was tired of being called a racist and “white supremacist” by Black lawmakers and telling his colleagues they and other Democrats “are not our friends.”

Black Caucus Chairman Sam McKenzie of Knoxville and Reps. Antonio Parkinson and Jesse Chism, both Memphis Democrats, targeted in Zachary’s comments, said they were “disappointed” to hear them.

McKenzie challenged all lawmakers to turn up a statement in which he called anyone a racist.

“You can’t find it. It didn’t happen,” McKenzie said, describing the audio as a case of a Republican lawmaker “trying to drum up their base.”

“To tell flat lies is wrong. I value my relationships, and I’ve tried to build relationship all across Cordell Hull Building, and for someone just to randomly tell a lie like that is disappointing, disingenuous and speaks to their character,” McKenzie said.

Parkinson held the same view but said he wouldn’t take the matter personally.

“It’s a little disappointing that my name was called when I’ve never called any individual in the Tennessee House a racist publicly, never,” Parkinson said. “For them to say that, it’s unfortunate, and it’s false. It’s just not the truth.”

Parkinson contends House Republicans have “some soul searching” to do after expelling two Black lawmakers and then blaming some within their caucus as well as members of the Black Caucus.

He points out the House has a long list of Republican actions that appear to be “racist in nature,” including objections to removing the bust of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Capitol, attacking Tennessee State University and President Glenda Glover for problems with housing a student overflow, comments from Rep. Paul Sherrell about renewing “hanging by a tree” as a form of capital punishment, comments about a Black lawmaker eating fried chicken, and, finally, the expulsion of Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin J. Pearson of Memphis for starting a protest of lax gun laws on the House floor days after the Covenant School mass shooting.

Chism notes he never called anyone a racist but in a press conference by the Black Caucus gave a replay of what took place publicly.

“It came off as (having) racial undertones, even to the point where it’s kind of funny, because in the video they confirmed what I said in the press conference,” Chism said.

He recalled the emotionally draining moment two weeks ago when the House Democratic Caucus, some with tears in their eyes, led one member out of the chamber after expulsion.

“Some of their people were smiling and cracking jokes … so it did come off that way,” Chism said.

Memphis Democrat Antonio Parkinson pointed out a list of House Republican actions that appear to be “racist in nature,” including objections to the removal of a bust of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Capitol and comments about a Black lawmaker eating fried chicken.

In the audio, Zachary complained about being called a racist by Black lawmakers and then contended that Republican Reps. Jody Barrett of Dickson and Bryan Terry of Murfreesboro hung them out to dry by flipping their votes and going against expelling Johnson, who survived by one vote.

In the audio, Rep. Johnny Garrett also said he thought he had all the votes lined up to expel Johnson and was “shocked” when Barrett told him he was uncertain. Garrett said he felt the three should be kicked out simply for walking to the well without permission.

Rep. Scott Cepicky of Culleoka took things further by saying if the caucus failed to unify in the aftermath, Republicans could lose a war for Tennessee, which could open the door for Democrats to take the entire Southeast.

“Even if you think it might be wrong, you gotta do what’s right, and you gotta protect the freakin’ 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—-,” Cepicky said.

McKenzie blasted Cepicky’s statement in which he compared the situation to a “war,” calling it inaccurate. The Republican Caucus shouldn’t have expelled the two lawmakers because their protest didn’t rise to the level of expulsion, he said.

“They’re dealing with their mistakes. Take their medicine and do better next time,” he said.

The House Republican Caucus declined to comment about the audio.

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