Jerry Sexton (politician)

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It was not against the law to own slaves back then. Who knows, maybe some of us will be slaves one of these days. Laws change. [19]

— Jerry Sexton

2021 and 2022

Along with 29 other Republican members of the Tennessee General Assembly. Sexton signed a January 5, 2021 letter to the United States Congress supporting Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. After losing to challenger Joe Biden, Trump falsely claimed election fraud and maneuvered to remain in power. [20]

Sexton introduced legislation that would bar abortion by permitting "a man to seek an injunction that would legally prohibit a woman from terminating her pregnancy." [21]

In March 2021, Sexton said of diversity and inclusion initiatives "goes against our people, and our culture." [22]

In March 2021, Sexton filed his third legislative attempt to designate "the Bible" as "the official State book" and to list it in the official Tennessee Blue Book alongside other state symbols. [23] The Tennessean noted that Sexton's repeated efforts to designate the Bible as the official state book "have elicited groans and eye rolls from his fellow Republicans, as well as impassioned arguments by Democrats against designating any official religious book for the state." [24] Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally, who is the president of the state senate, signed on as a sponsor of Sexton's "Bible bill" in 2021, although he opposed Sexton's previous "Bible bills" and took no action to move the bill through the Senate. It was suggested that McNally's sponsorship was a way kill the bill by not allowing it to through Senate committees. [24]

In 2022, Sexton castigated school librarians and sponsored legislation that would require schools to provide a list of all school library materials to a politically appointed Tennessee textbook commission. Sexton's bill would empower the commission to order the removal of books from library shelves. Amid the debate, Sexton suggested that books banned by a state commission should be burnt. [25] [26]

Personal life

Jerry Sexton is married to Marsha Sexton and they have two adult children, Terri and Matthew and many grandchildren.

Sexton is a member of Noeton Missionary Baptist Church in Bean Station, Tennessee where he formerly served as a pastor for twenty-five years.

Sexton is the owner of Sexton Furniture Manufacturing, LLC 1988, Bushline, Inc. (since 2017) and, Grainger Roadway Logistics, LLC. [27] Sexton Furniture makes furniture for the retail trade, the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) market, the home-healthcare industry (e.g. power-lift chairs), the hospitality trade, the medical trade, and the college trade (i.e.: outfitting dorm rooms and lobbies), while Bushline manufactures furniture primarily for both the retail and the rent-to-own markets. Grainger Roadway Logistics is a trucking firm. [28]

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References

  1. ↑ State of Tennessee. "Representative Jerry Sexton". capitol.tn.gov. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Jerry Sexton". VoteSmart.org. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ http://www.sextonfortn.com/about.html "About"
  4. ↑ Shelton, David (February 8, 2019). "Same-sex marriage rights attacked again in Tennessee". The Leaf Chronicle. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  5. ↑ Aviles, Gwen (February 12, 2019). "'Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act' seeks to strip gay marriage rights". NBC News. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  6. ↑ Ebert, Joel (February 5, 2020). "The Bible the official book of Tennessee? Four years after a failed effort, a Republican lawmaker tries again". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Tennessee House passes bill calling for monument for unborn children". CBS News. April 20, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  8. ↑ Allison, Natalie (May 27, 2020). "House committee approves abortion bill that Senate speaker does not intend to pass". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 Koch, Mitchell (February 7, 2020). "Bill introduced again to designate Holy Bible as Tennessee's official state book". WREG-TV . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  10. ↑ Sher, Andy (March 31, 2017). "Tempers flare among Tennessee House GOP members over gas tax bill". Chattanooga Times Free Press . Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  11. ↑ Allison, Natalie (February 8, 2019). "Tennessee's 'Natural Marriage Defense Act' is making a comeback, would prohibit same-sex weddings". The Tennessean . Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  12. ↑ "HB 0892". Tennessee General Assembly . Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Tennessee bill to make Bible official state book fails". WZTV . June 19, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Tennessee General Assembly Legislation". wapp.capitol.tn.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  15. ↑ Williams, Phil (September 8, 2020). "Tennessee goes on $80 million, no-bid spending spree for COVID-19 supplies". NewsChannel 5 . Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  16. ↑ 'HJR0686 by Staples'
  17. ↑ "Tennessee governor says 'something should be done' about Nathan Bedford Forrest bust". WMC Action News 5. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  18. ↑ Palma, Sky (June 11, 2020). "'Everybody was just astonished': Tenn. Republican's comments on slavery leave his colleagues stunned". RawStory. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  19. ↑ Golgowski, Nina (June 11, 2020). "Tennessee Lawmakers Vote To Keep KKK Leader's Bust In Capitol, Igniting Protests". Huffington Post . Retrieved November 15, 2020. Rep. Jerry Sexton (R), who voted against the bust's removal, appeared to excuse the state's history of racism. "It was not against the law to own slaves back then. Who knows, maybe some of us will be slaves one of these days. Laws change," Sexton, who is white, told the legislative panel. "But what about the people that I represent, that it will offend them if we move this? They'll be offended. They won't like it. But it doesn't seem to matter."
  20. ↑ Mojica, Adrian (January 5, 2021). "29 Tennessee lawmakers support efforts objecting Biden's electoral victory over Trump". WZTV . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  21. ↑ Nanos, Elura (February 12, 2021). "Tennessee Legislator Who Suggested White People May Become Slaves One Day Introduces Bill Allowing Men to Stop Abortions". Law and Crime. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  22. ↑ David Plazas, 'One Night in Miami' spurs needed conversation on racism we need right now, The Tennessean (March 17, 2021).
  23. ↑ HJR 0150
  24. 1 2 Allison, Natalie (April 2, 2021). "Why Lt. Gov. Randy McNally signing on to the Bible bill will likely kill it for the year". The Tennessean . Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  25. ↑ "School library bill advances, sponsor suggests book burning". AP NEWS. 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  26. ↑ 'Burn them': GOP lawmaker sparks ire over Tennessee school library book bill, The Tennessean (April 27, 2022).
  27. ↑ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  28. ↑ Runions, Jan (2018-02-27). "Bushline gears up for furniture season". Claiborne Progress. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
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Jerry Sexton
Member of the TennesseeHouseofRepresentatives
from the 35th [1] district
In office
January 2015 –January 2023