Paying the consequences for their actions.
House lawmakers on Tuesday approved a last-minute amendment to remove $250,000 allocated to the city of Memphis as punishment for the removal of Confederate monuments.
The amendment, which was approved with a 56-31 vote, was introduced as a result of Memphis officials’ decision to remove two controversial statues on public property last year.
After being denied a waiver by the state Historical Commission to remove the statues, Memphis sold two public parks in December to a nonprofit, which then removed statues of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Rep. Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads, who has been an outspoken advocate for the preservation of historical monuments, sponsored the amendment.
“What this amendment does is it removes $250,000 from the budget that is designated to go to the city of Memphis for their bicentennial celebration,” he said on the House floor. “If you recall, back in December, Memphis did something that removed historical markers in the city. It was the city of Memphis that did this, and it was full knowing it was not the will of the legislature.”
During Tuesday’s floor session, Democrats argued the amendment was vindictive. Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, called it the most “vile, racist” effort he had seen and said Republicans viewed Forrest “as if he was God.”
Rep. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, called the amendment “un-Christian.”
“This amendment and the explanation is hateful, it is unkind, it is un-Christian and it is unfair,” she said. “Memphis is a city in this state, and I am sick of people in this House acting like it’s not.”