Former President Donald Trump will appear at a GOP donor event in Nashville, Tennessee, this weekend as Republican lawmakers in the state continue to face criticism over the recent expulsion of two Black Democrats from the state legislature.
Trump and other high-profile Republicans are traveling to the Tennessee capital this weekend for the Republican National Committee's (RNC) donor retreat in hopes of wooing major GOP donors to support their potential presidential bids. Other potential candidates attending the event include former Vice President Mike Pence, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, among others, according to a report from The Tennessean.
The event comes as the Tennessee Republican Party is facing national scrutiny over recent actions taken by the state legislature.
Youth-led protests ensued following the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville last month, with more than 1,000 protesters gathering at the Tennessee state Capitol building to call for gun control measures. Three Democratic state lawmakers—Representatives Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson—protested on the floor of the state house over the legislature's inaction on gun violence.
Republican lawmakers then voted to expel Representatives Jones and Pearson from the state House, though they have both now been reinstated. Republicans then faced accusations of racism over the vote, as Jones and Pearson are Black. Johnson, who was not expelled, is white. However, Reuters previously reported that Johnson may not have been removed because, unlike Jones and Pearson, she did not use a megaphone to lead chants during the protest.
Republicans have said the two lawmakers were expelled for breaching the rules of the legislature and violating decorum. However, Democrats have argued the expulsions were not only racist, but anti-democratic.
According to Reuters, the state's House, which is controlled by Republicans, voted 72-25 along party lines to remove Jones and 69-26 to remove Pearson. When it came time to expel Johnson, the vote was 65-30. Sixty-six votes are needed for expulsion.
Their expulsions were met with nationwide rebuke, with many high-profile Democrats voicing outrage over the move. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Nashville earlier in April to meet with the lawmakers, known as the "Tennessee Three."
Tennessee Republicans have also faced backlash for their latest laws surrounding drag performances. Last month, Governor Bill Lee signed into law a bill aimed at restricting drag shows across the state, though a judge last week halted this law from taking place, citing free speech issues.
Critics have called out Tennessee Republicans for focusing on hot-button culture war issues such as banning drag shows rather than banning assault weapons frequently used in mass shootings.
Trump Under Legal Pressure, But Remains GOP Frontrunner
Meanwhile, Trump himself continues to face legal pressure in a number of cases. Just weeks prior, he became the first former U.S. president to be charged in a criminal case.
Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of falsifying business records earlier this month that stemmed from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into an alleged hush money payment made during his 2016 presidential campaign. The payment was made in relation to an alleged affair between Trump and adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
The former president has denied the affair and maintains his innocence in the case.
He also faces two investigations from the Justice Department—one into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and the other is looking into classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago residence by the FBI last August. Trump is also under investigation in Georgia over his conduct surrounding the 2020 presidential election. He has denied any wrongdoing in each case.
Despite legal troubles, Trump remains the frontrunner to win the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, as he remains deeply popular with large swaths of conservative voters.
An aggregate of recent polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight shows Trump leading the GOP field with 49.6 percent support from GOP voters. His next top opponent, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who hast not yet announced if he plans to run in 2024, is polling at an average of 25.9 percent.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for comment via email.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
