Live from Music Row, Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to discuss the duty of the county commissions of the left-wing state representatives that perpetuated last week’s Tennessee Capitol riot and to hold them accountable.
Leahy: Now Crom, I’ve got some new information I want to share with you about the pending expulsion of those three left-wing lunatic democrats who incited a riot in the chambers of the House of Representatives on Thursday last week. Those three are Justin Jones from Nashville, Justin Pearson from Memphis, and Gloria Johnson from Knoxville.
Now we had Brian Ritchey, who is the representative from the 20th here and he said some very interesting things about all this. What he told us is that, and I’ve confirmed this part of it. If a vacancy occurs, there are two ways it can be replaced.
If it happens more than 12 months from the next election, there is a special election. But I’ve got some new information on this. The other mechanism that you have is the county commission in the county that the person represents then selects somebody to re to replace them.
That’s a permanent replacement for the session. If it happens less than one year before the next election, and if it happens right now, there is an interim appointment that can be made.
What’s gonna happen here, most likely is that tomorrow when those that incited the riot are up for expulsion, they’ll make their case, and then it seems to me likely there’ll be a party line vote kicking them out immediately.
The county commissions from Metro Council here in Nashville will then have, I think, about a week or less than a week to appoint a new state representative from that district, for the remainder until the special election. So there will be an incumbent.
And so that lessens the likelihood that those expelled will be re-elected in that special election. We’ll see how it plays out. And I’m not saying who they’re going to appoint, but let’s say they were to appoint somebody who is known as a lefty but who doesn’t hate the state government.
Carmichael: But let me ask a question, Michael. At what point does it become a crime to incite a riot on the legislative floor? At what point does that become a crime?
Leahy: I can answer that question.
Carmichael: Please.
Leahy: If the state police, the protective unit of the state, the Capital Protection Unit, were to file a complaint with the District Attorney Glenn Funk alleging inciting a riot as a crime, then the district attorney would have to look at it.
Carmichael: Why is that a local issue? I’m trying to understand. When you had January 6th…
Leahy: The law in Tennessee, I’ll tell you exactly because I looked at this Crom. The original jurisdiction lies with the Davidson County District Attorney. However, if this complaint is brought to the Davidson County District Attorney, which I think probably it could be and should be against all three of these inciters of the riot if it’s brought to the district attorney, which it hasn’t been yet, it probably should be.
I would be with you on that. But if it’s brought to the district attorney, and the district attorney in Davidson County fails to act, then the Tennessee Attorney General could examine it.
Carmichael: But what you’re saying is that the first step is if the state police that are supposed to protect the legislature…
Leahy: And did, by the way on that day, did a very good job protecting legislators.
Carmichael: But if they choose, because it’s a choice, they now have to either refer it or they have to choose not to refer it.
Leahy: So far they’ve not referred it.
Carmichael: I got that. If they choose to continue to not refer it, then to me, we ought to change the state law so the protection of our state legislators isn’t determined by somebody that doesn’t act properly.
Leahy: That’s a good point.
Carmichael: If that one guy I don’t remember which one it was, but your, the, our legislative guest.
Leahy: State Rep Brian Richey.
Carmichael: The person he talked to just laughed about it, and said, you’re making me a star.
Leahy: Justin Jones wants to be a star.
Carmichael: Wants to be a star.
Leahy: Cares nothing about the constituents.
Carmichael: His constituents are happy with what he did.
Leahy: Maybe. We’ll find out.
Carmichael: What I’m saying is the left is happy with what he did?
Leahy: Yes.
Carmichael: Because the media has essentially lifted them up as heroes, not as criminals.
Leahy: That’s correct.
Carmichael: That’s where we are. And if there’s no accountability, these instances will happen until somebody’s actually injured badly, or killed. And we need to stop that. We need to stop it.
Leahy: I agree.
Listen to today’s show highlights, including this interview:
– – –
Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Tennessee Capitol” by Kayfishup. CC BY-SA 3.0.
