Tennessee House Passes Michael Measure

The Tennessee House of Representatives narrowly passed a measure to honor Michael Jackson on Wednesday, February 3, 2010. The resolution, sponsored by Democratic Rep. G. A. Hardaway of Memphis, squeaked by Wednesday on a vote of 51-22 with 16 lawmakers present and abstaining. Measures need at least 50 votes to pass the 99-member chamber.

The measure has drawn considerable heat amongst the conservative constituency of the Southern state. This general disdain is echoed by the lawmakers who opposed the measure. Democratic Rep. Henry Fincher of Cookeville said he voted against it because Jackson was "credibly accused of child molestation." House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada said he objected to money being spent to honor entertainer, however he tendered an "aye" vote. Nevertheless, the state Congress regularly considers such measures; two years ago a measure to honor Tennessee native Justin Timberlake failed to pass.

If you would like to read the full text of the bill, click here.

Here is how the vote split:

HJR0773 by Hardaway - FLOOR VOTE: MOTION TO ADOPT 2/3/2010 Passed Ayes...............................................51

Noes...............................................22

Present and not voting......................16

Representatives voting aye were: Armstrong, Bone, Borchert, Brown, Camper, Casada, Coleman, Cooper, DeBerry L, Eldridge, Favors, Ferguson, Fitzhugh, Gilmore, Hackworth, Hardaway, Harmon, Harrison, Johnson P, Jones S, Jones U, Kernell, Litz, Lynn, Maddox, Marsh, Matheny, McCord, McCormick, McDaniel, Miller, Montgomery, Moore, Mumpower, Naifeh, Odom, Pitts, Pruitt, Richardson, Sargent, Shaw, Shepard, Sontany, Swafford, Tidwell, Tindell, Towns, Turner J, Turner M, West, Yokley -- 51.

Representatives voting no were: Bell, Carr, Cobb J, Dunn, Faulkner, Fincher, Floyd, Ford, Haynes, Hensley, Johnson C, Lollar, Lundberg, Matlock, McDonald, McManus, Niceley, Roach, Rowland, Shipley, Stewart, Weaver -- 22.

Representatives present and not voting were: Barker, Bass, Brooks H, Campfield, Coley, Dennis, Evans, Fraley, Harwell, Maggart, Ramsey, Rich, Todd, Watson, White, Mr. Speaker Williams -- 16.

We ask that you take the time to call or e-mail at least five legislators from this list who voted yes and five who voted against the bill. Contact information on all the congresspersons can be found here on the House Member Website. Please make sure you include Rep. Fincher in all your communications. He needs to know his statements are not only incorrect, they are unacceptable.

Cut and paste:

AYE (YES) VOTES: rep.joe.armstrong@capitol.tn.gov, rep.stratton.bone@capitol.tn.gov, rep.willie.borchert@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tommie.brown@capitol.tn.gov, rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov, rep.glen.casada@capitol.tn.gov, rep.kent.coleman@capitol.tn.gov, rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov, rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jimmy.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joanne.favors@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dennis.ferguson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov, rep.brenda.gilmore@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jim.hackworth@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ga.hardaway@capitol.tn.gov, rep.bill.harmon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mike.harrison@capitol.tn.gov, rep.phillip.johnson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.sherry.jones@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ulysses.jones@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mike.kernell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.john.litz@capitol.tn.gov, rep.susan.lynn@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mark.maddox@capitol.tn.gov, rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov, rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joe.mccord@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov, rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov, rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov, rep.richard.montgomery@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jason.mumpower@capitol.tn.gov, spk.eme.jimmy.naifeh@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gary.odom@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mary.pruitt@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jeanne.richardson@capitol.tn.gov, mailto:charles.sargent@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov, rep.david.shepard@capitol.tn.gov, rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov, rep.eric.swafford@capitol.tn.gov, rep.john.tidwell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.harry.tindell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnnie.turner@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ben.west@capitol.tn.gov, rep.eddie.yokley@capitol.tn.gov

NAY (NO) Votes: rep.mike.bell@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joe.carr@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jim.cobb@capitol.tn.gov, rep.bill.dunn@capitol.tn.gov, rep.chad.faulkner@capitol.tn.gov, rep.henry.fincher@capitol.tn.gov, rep.richard.floyd@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dale.ford@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ryan.haynes@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov, rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.ron.lollar@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jimmy.matlock@capitol.tn.gov, rep.michael.mcdonald@capitol.tn.gov, rep.steve.mcmanus@capitol.tn.gov, rep.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dennis.roach@capitol.tn.gov, rep.donna.rowland@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tony.shipley@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mike.stewart@capitol.tn.gov, rep.terri.lynn.weaver@capitol.tn.gov