‘You hung us out to dry’: Leaked audio shows hot tempers inside GOP caucus after expulsion vote

Tempers flared inside the House Republican caucus after a handful of members voted against the expulsion of Rep. Gloria Johnson last week, according to edited audio from a caucus meeting Monday.

Republican leadership spent this week working to portray a united front and move forward from a historic double expulsion vote that thrust Democrats into a national spotlight and drew nationwide criticism of Tennessee House Republicans.

But audio leaked from a House GOP caucus meeting on Monday — just days after Republicans voted to expel Reps. Justin Jones, D-Nashville and Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, but not Johnson, D-Knoxville — shattered the message of unity the House GOP has pushed as it seeks to move forward.

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In the recording, high-ranking GOP leaders vocally expressed their frustration, hurling accusations at Reps. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson and Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro for breaking with the caucus and voting against Johnson’s expulsion, saying “you hung us out to dry.”

"Dear God, we were called — you brought racism into it because you didn’t stay with us,” Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, can be heard on the recording. “I don't want to hear why there wasn't preponderance of the evidence as an attorney — I need to know why you flipped your vote at the last minute.”

More: Why a Middle TN lawmaker voted not to expel state Rep. Gloria Johnson

The audio is edited and doesn't include other caucus members who spoke throughout the meeting.

Edited audio was first posted by the liberal advocacy site The Tennessee Holler. The Tennessean independently confirmed the audio came from a closed caucus meeting on Monday, April 10.

“The leaked audio from our private caucus meeting was clipped and did not contain the entirety of our internal conversation," Zachary said in a statement to The Tennessean.

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"Regarding my comments, it is clear from the audio that my goal was to clear the air and bring closure to the frustration our members felt after the expulsion vote on Thursday," he said.  "The House Republican Caucus will not be distracted by the events of the last few weeks.  We will continue to fulfill the mandate given to us by the voters in Tennessee by implementing sound conservative policy that has made Tennessee the best state in the nation to live, work and raise a family.”

Audio makes it clear that Republican leadership thought they had votes from their caucus locked in to expel all three Democrats last Thursday — despite House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, saying shortly before the votes that he had not yet made up his mind.

House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, can be heard on the audio saying he was “taken aback” by Barrett’s request to ask questions of Johnson during the hearing, “as if that would have made a difference.”

“We had the jury already. This obviously wasn’t a trial — but I knew every single one of your vote counts. I knew that we did not have to convince you all,” Garrett says in the audio. “When you came up to me with about two minutes left of Gloria’s final closing and said you didn’t want to do it, I was shocked.”

“It's gonna take some time for all of us to digest your reasoning,” Garrett adds on the audio.

Garrett did not respond to an emailed request for comment, or a message left with his office.

In the audio, Barrett defends his vote, arguing that leadership had failed to prove claims against Johnson as laid out in the expulsion resolution.

“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,” Barrett argues in the audio. “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 explains in the audio that he went to Garrett to ask permission to “go off script” and ask questions to help make the Republican case for expulsion, but House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, never called on him before the vote.

Barrett's comments in the audio are consistent with a lengthy statement he released last week explaining his vote.

When reached for comment specifically on the caucus meeting audio, Barrett referred The Tennessean to the House GOP Caucus spokesperson.

Multiple times on the audio, significant pressure from GOP leadership to toe the party line is evident.

“You’ve got to do what’s right — even if you think it might be wrong — you’ve got to do what’s right,” Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, can be heard saying. “You’ve got to protect this freaking republic here in Tennessee, or you know what, let’s all go the hell home.”

Cepicky did not respond to a text message regarding the audio.

When asked to comment, the House GOP caucus referred The Tennessean to comments made by GOP leadership during their weekly news conference earlier Thursday, indicating that attention is focused on pressing forward and preparing to pass the state budget.

“None of our members regret the decision to make the expulsion decision, and we would do it again if that type of behavior occurs on this floor,” Lamberth said. “In this particular chamber for every voice to be heard, folks have to listen to one another, respond to one another and follow the rules.”

Melissa Brown contributed.

Reach Vivian Jones at vjones@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Leaked Tennessee GOP caucus audio shows hot tempers after expulsion