NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tensions are high and tempers are flaring all over on Capitol Hill during the special session, and now some Republicans are taking cracks at each other over the legislation.
While House Republicans are hearing bills that would allow more people—including retired law enforcement, military members and anyone with an enhanced carry permit—to carry guns in schools, Senate Republicans have moved to table nearly every bill put forward by lawmakers. It’s a move that had some in their own party saying they were burying their heads in the sand.
That strategy is what prompted House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison (R—Cosby) to pull an unusual stunt.
He bought and put up an ostrich egg in the Senate chamber Tuesday afternoon, saying in a now-deleted Tweet, “Congratulations @tnsenategop on receiving the 2023 Ostrich Egg! It must be egghausting sending so many bills to Gen Sub. instead of doing the work people sent us here to do.”
“All of us were expressing frustration about it, and somebody in the leadership said, ‘It’s like they’re acting like ostriches and just sticking their head in the sand,'” Faison told News 2’s Chris O’Brien. “When they said that, I was like, “I need to go buy an ostrich egg and present that.'”
Faison sent an apology email to the Senate Republicans Wednesday morning, to which Sen. Paul Bailey (R—Sparta) said Faison should apologize to the people the House kicked out of committee Tuesday, including Covenant families.
“Those moms have been here, been on the front rows,” he said. “They have been nothing but kind. They’re here letting their voice be heard but in such a manner that people understand what they’re feeling inside.”
Bailey did say he wanted the feud to end there and that he had a lot of respect for the House.
O’Brien and News 2 Photojournalist Joe Gregory eventually obtained the egg but was asked by Faison’s staff to return it to the Caucus, which they did.