MAGA Republicans love the word “decorum” lately.
Mind you, this is the same Republican Party that publicly declared the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and the events that led to it “legitimate political discourse.” That party is now clutching its collective pearls in fake outrage over citizens in its own states and legislators daring to object to its extreme politics.
It happened in Georgia when a Democratic state legislator objected to the governor signing — in secret, in front of a plantation painting — onerous anti-voter legislation.
It happened in Arkansas, where a Republican state legislator silenced students who came to object to a disastrous education bill.
And most recently, it happened in Tennessee where Republicans expelled two Black Democratic state legislators for breach of “decorum” on the state’s House floor because they demanded action on guns — only to be accused of inciting “riots or violence.”
Most Americans would consider those attempts to silence dissent undemocratic and a political disaster — except in Montana where House Republicans just punished Missoula Democrat Zooey Zephyr.
The House supermajority voted to banish her from the House floor for the rest of the 2023 session, which is only about a week. She will still be allowed to vote remotely.
Trans #Montana legislator St. Rep. Zooey Zephyr (@ZoAndBehold) on GOP barring her from House chamber: "Behind the scenes Republicans are expressing they wished that the far-right contingent of their party didn't push this but they're afraid of being primaried." #TheReidOut pic.twitter.com/mdy2cEOBnJ
— The ReidOut (@thereidout) April 26, 2023
Zephyr is Montana’s first trans woman elected to the Legislature. She became the target of her Republican colleagues after she told fellow Republicans that they “should be ashamed” of their support of legislation banning gender-affirming care for trans minors. She also told her Republican colleagues: “I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands.”
That comment triggered the MAGA Montana Republicans, who insisted she be forbidden from speaking. Republicans would only allow her to speak if she apologized for her comments. Allies came to show their support on Monday demanding that the Republicans let her speak. She raised her hand and a microphone in solidarity. Montana law enforcement descended on the small group of supporters and began arresting them, and in a ludicrous show of force they even deployed officers in riot gear. On Tuesday, Montana’s House speaker canceled the House floor session without explanation after accusing Zephyr of “encouraging” — you guessed it — an “insurrection.” This is an excerpt from Wednesday’s episode of “The ReidOut.” It has been slightly edited for length and clarity.
Joy-Ann Reid
Joy-Ann Reid is host of “The ReidOut” at 7 p.m. ET on MSNBC. “The ReidOut” features one-on-one conversations with politicians and newsmakers while addressing provocative political issues both inside and outside of the beltway. Recommended
