Tennessee State Rep. Kelly Keisling (R-Byrdstown) addressed his colleagues on the House Floor yesterday during a “Welcoming and Honoring” session.
Standing at a podium in front of approximately a dozen teenage girls in dresses, Keisling said: “I’m disappointed in this chamber right now.” He yelled, “I didn’t hear a daggum whistle in here when these girls came up to here. Not a whistle!” He added, “But you can say that when they exit.”
This is beyond unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/5GIp6q7W96
— Jessica Smith (@iaintyourmommy) March 18, 2024
Keisling’s colleague, state Rep. Gloria Johnson (D), reported: “Today, Rep Keisling said that he was shocked the folks in this body didn’t whistle at the teenage girls who came into the room to be honored. Lord help us all, thank God they didn’t. Vote this nonsense out!”
Johnson added: “To be clear, we all applauded.” The teenage girls were being honored for winning a basketball championship.
When one constituent replied to Johnson: “We whistle for every concert and football game and graduation you are making this really pervy,” Johnson replied: “Never in 8 years heard anyone whistle when we are honoring folks like this. We applaud them.”
Note: Keisling supported a resolution to expel three Democratic state Representatives — including Johnson — from the legislature for violating decorum rules as the three led a protest on the State House floor after the Covenant School shooting in Nashville in March 2023.
Keisling is running for re-election this year (the primary election will be held on August 1) and Johnson is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Marsha Blackburn (R).