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(CNN) Hours after seven people were arrested Monday in protest over Montana House Republicans silencing a transgender lawmaker, those arrested attended a late dinner with Rep. Zooey Zephyr, where they The group, along with fellow activists, paired two high-top tables at Helena’s Windbag Saloon & Grill.
Zephyr, a 34-year-old Democrat from Missoula who last year became the first openly transgender woman elected to the Montana legislature, was barred from speaking on the floor for three straight days. A Republican who did, told them they might try their next attempt. Two attendees who hear her comments either denounce her or expel her.
Such a move would backfire, bringing more public attention and scrutiny to what they described as an avalanche of bills targeting transgender rights.
Hannah Pate, one of the arrested protesters, said, “I hope they know — I think we’ve made it fundamentally clear — that Rep. Zephyr is exactly what we’re doing in Montana. That’s what we want in our legislators,” he said.
The situation currently unfolding in Montana means that the Republican-dominated state legislature has no control over who can hear and what to say about policy debates that minority Democrats in the state see as a matter of life and death. This is the latest example of limiting what you can do.
It comes weeks after the Tennessee House of Representatives ousted two Democrats who led demonstrations calling for gun control on the floor. Both Democrats subsequently returned to the House after local authorities chose them to fill the vacancy created by their expulsions.
Montana, like Tennessee, is a bright red state. Republicans control all the levers of state government and hold every office elected statewide, except for the seat of Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who is reelected next year. Last year, Republicans won overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate, effectively rendering minority Democrats powerless.
Zephyr, activists and Democrats are now waiting to see what the Republican-led House of Representatives’ next move will be as the state’s biennial legislature enters its final day.
“If the Republicans escalate things, I think we’ll end up in a situation like Tennessee. Yesterday’s situation will feel like an appetizer compared to if Zephyr were ousted,” he said on Monday. He was arrested and charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor.
The Republicans, who hold the overwhelming majority in the Montana legislature, regrouped on Tuesday, with House Speaker Matt Leger canceling a scheduled floor meeting.
In a brief statement to state legislative reporters, he did not respond to questions, calling Monday a “dark day” but blaming Zephyr and journalists, saying “the whole story was not being told.” complained.
“Now all delegates are free to participate in House debates subject to House rules,” he said. “The choice not to follow House rules was made by Senator Zephyr. Only Zephyr is silencing him.”
Leger did not say what next steps the Montana House Republicans would take, including whether they would continue to ban Zephyr from being allowed to speak, or whether they would seek to denounce or expel her from the House. .
Last week, when Zephyr criticized a bill banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors and nodded to studies that consistently showed alarming suicide rates among transgender teens. , this ruckus began.
“The next time you get a prayer, when you bow your head and pray, see your hands with blood on them,” Zephyr said.
Regier has since refused to allow Zephyr to speak on other bills, and Republicans are voting in favor of the chairman’s decision.
State legislatures erupted on Monday when Zephyr closed again for trying to address unrelated laws. A mob of Zephyr supporters interrupted her proceedings in the House of Representatives, chanting “Let her speak!”
Video on the House floor shows that the Speaker of the House was heard asking Sgt. to clear the gallery of guests as the chanting continued.
The session’s live stream audio cuts out later and is replaced by music. The video shows Zephyr raising his arm, holding a microphone, and looking in the direction of the protesters in the gallery. Meanwhile, some protesters are seen being escorted by law enforcement.
As the upstairs gallery is cleared of protesters and observers, a speaker can be heard on video saying the House is back to order.
Zephyr did not respond to CNN’s request for an interview on Tuesday.
“Today, when the Speaker did not recognize me as a duly elected public servant, my voters and community protested for their right to be heard. Standing in solidarity.I am dedicated to them.Standing up to defend democracy,” Zephyr said in a tweet Monday.
Zephyr adds: “When my voters and community members witnessed my microphone being disabled, they bravely stepped forward and defended their democratic rights. Some were arrested in the process. I stood in solidarity with them and will continue to do so.”
Meanwhile, conservative members of the Montana Freedom Caucus seek further retribution against Zephyr.
In a tweet last week, the group misgendered Zephyr, stating:
The Montana Freedom Caucus turned down a request for an interview with one of CNN’s members on Tuesday.In a new statement, the group called for “immediate disciplinary action” against Zephyr.
The group accused Zephyr of “standing in the middle of the floor and fomenting a rebellion after all members were told to clear the House gallery and move to the side in order to stay safe.”
Quinn Leighton, director of foreign affairs at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, said the Republican Party has targeted transgender rights and abortion rights since it won an overwhelming majority in last year’s midterm elections.
Opponents of these Republican-led efforts have called on Montana’s legislative commission to curb rhetoric that attacks LGBTQ people as “groomers” and “pedophiles,” according to Layton. But the chairman of the Republican committee said otherwise.
“People are self-harming or becoming victims of violent crime as a result after watching hearings online,” they said.
Sean Rieger, director of equality for the Montana Human Rights Network, said Monday’s protests were a response to “what’s happening across the Legislative Council.”
He said the Republican majority “shows a complete lack of care, respect, or recognition not only for the LGBTQ people who share their voices and concerns about these bills, but also for Montana as a whole.” There are,’ he said.
“And not only have those voices been silenced, but when people have actually cleared the hurdles and been able to navigate so that their voices can be heard, they’re being completely ignored.” We’re seeing that with so many incredibly harmful anti-trans bills being passed.”
Correction: An earlier version of this article’s headline incorrectly stated that Zephyr was deprecated. She was only threatened with denunciations.
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