A Black Tennessee state lawmaker and other Democrats in the state are angry over what state House Rep. Justin Jones called an “egregious and troubling abuse of power.”
Jones was denied entry into a meeting on Monday, according to the Tennessee Holler, with other state officials and representatives from Elon Musk’s business, The Boring Company, a subsidiary of Tesla. Officials at the meeting at the Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal revealed new information about plans for the “Music City Loop,” a state-sanctioned project with Musk’s company to build an underground tunnel connecting downtown Nashville with the airport.
When Jones attempted to enter the meeting, a white man, later identified as Nathan Buttrey with the investment firm Altitude Ventures, with help from law enforcement, blocked his way.
“This project is in my district. This airport where we are is in my district. So, I’m here to get information for my constituents,” Jones told Buttrey in a video captured by the Tennessee Holler and later posted on social media.
“I’m here in my oversight capacity,” Jones told Buttrey, who said he understood.
“I was elected to represent the people, 75,000 people who live on Murfreesboro Pike, who live around the airport,” Jones said.
Buttrey responded, saying, “I’m responsible for the list and I’m just trying to be respectful to my role, that’s all. I’m not trying to be disrespectful to you.”
Another white lawmaker from Knoxville was allowed entrance, and when Jones tried to follow, he was surrounded and blocked by police. Another white man told him that it was a private event.
It didn’t matter that Jones said the airport and surrounding area were in his district; he wasn’t allowed in.
“This is how this project’s been announced, in secrecy and lack of transparency,” Jones said to an officer keeping him out. “Is anybody else being kept out, or just Black lawmakers?”
Throughout the Holler video, Republican state lawmakers are seen entering the meeting without any trouble, including from districts outside of Nashville and State House Speaker Cameron Sexton, whose district is 70 miles away in central Tennessee.
Jones accused Gov. Bill Lee, a supporter of President Donald Trump, and “corporate lobbyists” of preventing him from attending the meeting.
In a statement to Nashville news station News 2, a spokesperson for BNA denied it.
“This project, which requires state approval, is yet another attempt by Bill Lee and his corporate donors to enrich themselves while neglecting public services and real infrastructure needs of working-class people who commute to downtown for work at bars, hotels, and restaurants,” Jones said on social media.
“Musk’s Boring Company has been known to violate workplace safety laws and damage water quality, which is why other cities have refused or rejected his Tesla Tunnels, and why they are afraid of being questioned,” he added.
Jones’ colleague, Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson, called the incident “frightening.”
“This is so frightening. A Superman villain billionaire is controlling our govt and the people’s representation is refused entry. This is a state event and brother jones is a state representative just as other white elected officials from far counties were welcomed inside,” Johnson said in a post on X.
You might remember Jones was one of the three state lawmakers who staged a protest over gun reform on the state house floor back in 2023, a week after a mass shooting at a Nashville school left six dead.
Nicknamed the Tennessee Three, Johnson, who is white, was not expelled, but Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, who are both Black, were. They both reclaimed their seats in the months following their March expulsion.
Johnson wasn’t taking any guff from MAGA supporters on social media, either. When Bob Norwood posted, “Haha! He looks like a spoiled child who is crying because he didn’t get invited to the party,” here’s how Johnson responded.
“It’s interesting when people who have no idea how government has worked for the last 100+ years weigh in. It has always been the case that when some project, especially a state project, happens in your district, you are invited to attend as it concerns your constituents,” she said.
This X user agreed with Jones and Johnson, “He had every right to be at a state event!!”
Great Job Shelby E. & the Team @ Atlanta Black Star Source link for sharing this story.
