Tennessee Republicans seek to oust judge who OK’d expansion of absentee voting amid pandemic MarketWatch 3/9/2021
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Republican-dominated Tennessee House is sparking fears of an unprecedented breach of judicial independence by moving forward with a proposal to remove a judge for expanding absentee voting in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A resolution with nearly unanimous House GOP support is calling for proceedings that could remove Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle, whose ruling was ultimately overturned by the state Supreme Court but only after the state promised to allow people at higher risk of COVID-19 complications to vote by mail.
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March 9, 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Almost every Tennessee House Republican says hearings should be held for the removal of a judge who expanded absentee voting in the 2020 election due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The push against Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle has sparked warnings from legal experts that lawmakers were seriously considering an unprecedented breach of judicial independence.
The resolution would create a House-Senate panel to recommend whether or not to remove the judge.
Separate two-thirds votes of the House and the Senate would be needed for removal.
The threshold is met through cosponsors in the House.
Senate Speaker Randy McNally has said he would rather move similar challenges out of Nashville courtrooms.
Chancellor Removal Effort Goes Down in Flames Resolution aimed at Nashville Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle fails in House subcommittee despite widespread GOP support Tweet Share
A Republican effort to remove Nashville Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle from the bench failed Tuesday when the House Civil Justice Subcommittee shot it down despite widespread support from nearly every House Republican, including those in leadership positions.
In recent days, lawyers, judges and legal organizations across the state have protested the push, spearheaded by Republican Rep. Tim Rudd. That included retired Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joe Riley, who also served as chief disciplinary counsel for the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary.