GOP-led Tennessee Senate votes to remove Democrat after fraud conviction

The Tennessee state Senate voted to remove state Sen. Katrina Robinson (D) from office on Wednesday after she was convicted for wire fraud, The Associated Press reported.

Tennessee Democrats said the vote by the GOP-majority state Senate was premature because some initial charges against Robinson had been dropped. Robinson, who is Black, characterized her removal as a “procedural lynching.”

“I feel beat up standing in front of you guys,” said Robinson. “And really I didn’t prepare any words because there are no words for what this is.”

Tennessee Republicans disagreed, arguing that her presence in the state Senate would lower its credibility after the convictions.

“They determined she violated a criminal statute,” said state Sen. John Stevens (R) of the court. “A federal judge did not disagree with that determination. How can we demand that citizens respect the integrity and reputation of the Senate if we disrespect them by ignoring their determinations?”

Robinson, who has maintained her innocence, was convicted of using federal grant money for personal expenses, specifically $3,400 in wedding expenses in 2016.

The last removal of a lawmaker in Tennessee occurred in the state House of Representatives in 2016 after Republican Rep. Jeremy Durham was alleged to have had improper sexual contact with 22 women while in office.