Three Tennessee state lawmakers turned heads across the country with their expulsions and reinstatements following a display of solidarity with the gun control movement at the state Capitol.
Republican state lawmakers expelled two of the three legislators, Democratic state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who were then immediately reinstated by their constituents. Since then, the "Tennessee Three," which includes Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson, have vowed to fight for gun control and introduce legislation that will prevent further shootings that have plagued the United States since late March.
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Here's what has happened since the Tennessee Three were expelled and reinstated.
Invitation to the White House
President Joe Biden invited the Tennessee Three to the White House to thank them for their leadership in seeking to ban military-style weapons and "standing up for the democratic values," according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Biden received backlash for not inviting the families of the Nashville school shooting.
National Democrats demand investigation
Senate Democrats asked Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department to investigate the expulsions of Jones and Pearson.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) wrote a letter on April 12 asking Garland to "use all available legal authorities" to determine whether the expulsions violate federal statutes and “take all steps necessary to uphold the democratic integrity of our nation’s legislative bodies.”
The senators argued it was possible Tennessee Republicans violated the representatives' First Amendment rights. Jones and Pearson had taken to the podium during the legislative session and began calling for gun reform legislation using a megaphone. Johnson stood in solidarity with the pair but did not touch the megaphone.
Tennessee GOP lawmaker resigns
Republican state Rep. Scotty Campbell, who voted to expel the Democratic legislators, resigned from the Tennessee General Assembly two weeks later after a legislative ethics subcommittee found him guilty of sexually harassing at least one legislative intern, according to the investigative team at NewsChannel 5 in Nashville.
His resignation came six hours after the outlet confronted Campbell about the harassment allegations. A brief Ethics Subcommittee document from late March said the Republican had violated the workplace discrimination and harassment policy, but it did not provide specifics. Ethics subcommittee members are barred from discussing their proceedings.
When asked by the NewsChannel 5 team, Campbell did not provide much information.
“I had consensual, adult conversations with two adults off property. If I choose to talk to any intern in the future, it will be recorded,” he said.
Six hours later, Campbell issued his resignation effective immediately. Campbell was the vice chairman of the House Republican Caucus.
"I resign from the Tennessee House of Representatives. Effective immediately," Campbell wrote in his brief letter.
Johnson had called Campbell's ethics violation "horrendous" in a tweet on Thursday.
"This is horrendous, yet if you talk without permission, you get expulsion resolutions," she said.
Tennessee Republicans break from Gov. Bill Lee
Republican Tennessee legislators and Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) are splintering over the subject of gun control.
The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday shielding gun and ammunition dealers, sellers, and manufacturers from lawsuits. The bill, with a 19-9 vote in the state Senate, now heads to Lee's desk.
It is uncertain whether Lee will sign it, as his administration had begun to push his party to pass legislation that would keep firearms away from people who are a danger to themselves or others.
Democratic state Sen. London Lamar said the passage of the bill was "disrespectful timing," as it passed in the aftermath of a deadly mass shooting that killed three adults and three children at the Covenant School.
“I am challenging you not to pass this bill because we need to do more to protect citizens from gun violence than the people making the guns that people can use to kill more people,” the state senator said during debates.
The manufacturer protections bill had passed the House on March 27, the same day that a 28-year-old entered the Covenant School with two military-style weapons and a handgun and fatally shot six people.
Lee recently asked his party to pass a bill creating red flag protections based on mental health. He also signed an executive order to strengthen background checks for buying firearms in Tennessee.
"We can't stop evil, but we can do something," Lee said. "And when there is a clear need for action, I think that we have an obligation ... to remind people that we should set aside politics and pride and accomplish something that the people of Tennessee want us to accomplish."
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However, Tennessee Republicans said the red flag laws were a "non-starter."
"Any red flag law is a non-starter for House Republicans," their official account tweeted. "Our caucus is focused on finding solutions that prevent dangerous individuals from harming the public and preserve the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. We have always been open to working with Governor Lee on measures that fit within the framework."