Conservatives Seek To Adjourn Special Session Yet Are Blocked By Establishment RINOs

Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –

The Special Session compelled by Governor Lee began Monday, with the hope of many Tennesseans being that there would be enough Senators and Representatives in the “Republican Super-Majority” to do what many of their constituents had conveyed to them: walk in, adjourn, and go home.

However, while there was a Senator and a Representative that proposed the required resolutions, there were forces on the same side of the aisle working to undermine that effort. And in the end when the resolutions were presented there were few elected officials who stood up and cast their vote to support adjourning the session. 

On the House side, Representative Bryan Richey (R-D20-Maryville)  submitted a resolution HJR7040 which states, “General Assembly, Adjournment – Adjourns sine die First Extraordinary Session of 113th General Assembly on August 21, 2023.”

That resolution only had the support of 6 representatives, other than Richey: Kip Capley (R-D71-Summertown), Tim Hill (R-D3-Blountville), Kelly Keisling (R-D38-Byrdstown), Susan Lynn (R-D57-Mt. Juliet), Todd Warner (R-D92-Chapel Hill) and Jody Barrett (R-D69-Dickson).

The Tennessee Conservative reached out to Representative Richey and asked if he could convey his reasons for making the motion to adjourn the special session.

Richey said, “My decision to bring forward the resolution to adjourn was based on hundreds of conversations I had with folks in District 20. They don’t want any red flag laws and viewed this session as a waste of taxpayer funds. I just did what I was elected to do ‘listen to my constituents and not the folks walking the halls of the Capitol.’ “

Sources inside the Capitol tell us that the reason so few Representatives showed support for the resolution to adjourn was due to a series of threats made by House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-D25-Crossville) and House Republican Leader William Lamberth (R-D44 -Portland).

According to our sources, both men threatened members who were willing to support a motion to adjourn with removal of their committee seats and chairmanships.

In addition, threats were made that anyone who would support adjournment, would not see any of their bills for next session come to any kind of successful fruition. Their bills would die in committee. 

According to sources, there was a robust bi-partisan effort underway to stop the special session in its tracks, and reports from those sources also say there were as many as 50 votes in favor of adjourning.

It was at this time, Speaker Sexton reportedly issued his insinuations to all members, that if an adjournment is supported, then those committee positions and chairmanships might not be available for the members who currently hold them.

The number of votes subsequently plummeted to the 7 we reported. As a reminder, those committee positions, and the chairmanships are at the discretion of The Speaker of The House. 

Representative Kelly Keisling has been stripped of his chairmanship of the State Government Committee for the remainder of the special session by Speaker Sexton, purportedly for his support of a motion to adjourn. 

In the face of such threats, those who have plans to try to do effective work for the people of Tennessee like they were elected to, would think twice about voting their conscience. 

On the Senate side, Senator Janice Bowling was prepared to and did file a resolution, which sources tell The Tennessee Conservative was filed on time, but leadership simply did not calendar it on the floor, and instead sent it to the Senate Judiciary Committee, functionally killing it. 

Senator Bowling did however pronounce her motion to adjourn on the floor and preceding that gave a speech that expressed her reasons for why she believed it was important to adjourn and take up some of the issues brought to the special session, during next year’s regular session. 

She said, “as a state senator that swore an oath to the Constitution and to the People, I must ensure that my actions also satisfy my conscience to that oath. When I consider the phrase, “extraordinary occasion,” it speaks to me that of an emergency and something of an urgent nature that for various reasons cannot be postponed as it would perhaps put our republic and/or our People in danger or the threat of something imminent.” 

She continued, “People in my district have spoken loudly on this issue. And the overwhelming consensus is that we face no emergency or immediate danger. And I must be honest with this chamber, I echo their sentiments.   I fear that no matter how well-intentioned this extraordinary session may be, it was ill- conceived and is in and of itself not only a danger to public safety, but in large part, an act that may “lessen or abridge the right and privileges” of every Tennessean. I am bound by duty to the oath I took to the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. And for the reasons stated herein… I make a motion to adjourn. “

A Tennessee Conservative reader asked Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-D27-Franklin) to support Bowling’s resolution and Johnson replied with what are our reader calls a “convoluted response” as follows:

Thank you for taking the time to email me.  Unfortunately, it seems that there may be some misinformation out there about the ability of the Legislature to immediately adjourn for the upcoming special session called by Governor Lee.  In order to permanently adjourn the Special Session, resolutions must be passed by both the House and Senate adjourning the session what we call “sine die” (which is Latin for “without day,” meaning the session is adjourned indefinitely). 

In order to adjourn the session sine die, resolutions must be read on first and second consideration which must occur on two separate days.  Then on the third day the resolutions must be passed by a simple majority of each House in order for us to permanently adjourn.  Senator Bowling did discuss filing a resolution, but I want to let you know that I have already filed these resolutions on Monday that will adjourn this Special Session as early as Wednesday.  While it would be possible to suspend the rules on the first day of Special Session and adopt the sine die resolutions out of order, doing so would require a two-thirds majority vote of both Houses and currently the votes are not there to do so.

I have always been opposed to red flag laws and, since Governor Lee has proposed this special session, I have adamantly stated my opposition to his red flag proposal and to his special session call.  I have a proven 16-year voting record protecting our 2nd Amendment rights and my conservative position remains unchanged as we go into this Special Session.  My oath of office prevents me from supporting any unconstitutional legislation.

Sincerely,

Jack

The special session had been estimated to last 3 days, and there have been hundreds of bills filed. At present only a handful have been considered and none of them come anywhere near Red Flag, or an expansion of federal dollars in the state’s mental health care system which comes as good news for most Tennesseans, who never wanted this special session to begin with. 

We will continue to follow this story as it develops. 

Watch Gary Humble of Tennessee Stands break it down below:

Trouble playing the video above? Watch directly on Rumble HERE.

About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member.  Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.