Troopers make arrests during Medicaid expansion sit-in at Gov. Haslam's office

Tennessee State Troopers arrested at least two of the eleven demonstrators who called for the expansion of the state’s Medicaid program during a sit-in Tuesday in the governor’s office.

►Related: Haslam not looking at Medicaid expansion after failed ACA repeal effort 

About a couple dozen demonstrators were in the room initially, singing, praying and sharing their personal experiences.

Haslam wasn’t in Nashville, staff said. But a representative from constituent services talked with the larger group, which thinned once state troopers repeatedly asked them to leave because the State Capitol closed at 4:30 p.m.

The Rev. Stephen Handy, senior pastor of McKendree United Methodist Church in Nashville, led one of the prayers, and was among those to make their intention to stay clear. 

"We’re going to wait. We’re going to be here for a while. We don’t have anywhere to go but to stay here so whatever your will is in the midst of that we come in the name of equality and equity," Handy said. "We don’t come to disrupt for the sake of disruption."

Deputy Gov. Jim Henry met with the smaller group for several minutes, saying he would relay the day’s events to the governor and asked them to leave several times before returning to another office. The governor’s spokeswoman did not respond to The Tennessean’s request for comment.

Past state legislative efforts to expand Tennessee's Medicaid program have failed handily. And in the wake of a canceled vote on the federal bill that would have replaced Obamacare, Gov. Bill Haslam said in late March that he was not considering another legislative special session to expand the state program under the Affordable Care Act.

Jones attempted to convince troopers to let her stay and tried to keep the female demonstrator's bag in the room. Troopers then handcuffed Jones and escorted him from the room.

The pair were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, said Lt. Bill Miller, spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, in an email. The nine remaining demonstrators were cited with trespassing and released, he said.  

"These individuals were given numerous warnings of the actions that would be taken. They failed to comply with law enforcement's repeated directives," Miller said.   

A Tuesday night post by the Moral Movement Tennessee on Facebook reported that nine of the demonstrators were out with a misdemeanor, and two "are being booked tonight."

Handy, who remained in the room with the eight other demonstrators after the first two arrests, said the troopers gave them a couple of warnings that they would be arrested if they didn’t leave. He said the group explained each time that they were not in the office to be arrested, but to meet with the governor about expanding Medicaid.

Eventually the nine remaining demonstrators were handcuffed, issued misdemeanors and court dates and released, Handy said. As of 9:40 p.m., he was still waiting to hear from Jones.

“I think if nothing else we made a statement tonight that we’re not going anywhere and we’re going to stand in the gap,” Handy said. 

Moral Movement Tennessee describes itself as a grassroots organization, seeking to build a diverse movement focused on anti-poverty and pro-justice issues in the state. It’s started in Tennessee in 2015 and is inspired by the Rev. William Barber's Moral Movement in North Carolina. Barber was in Nashville on Thursday for a social justice training.

►Related: Rev. William Barber, Moral Mondays leader, speaking at social justice training

He also caught word of Tuesday’s sit-in in Tennessee through social media. He gave his support to the group in Tennessee, calling 

Medicaid expansion a life and death issue in a phone call to The Tennessean. 

"These are very serious issues for your legislature," Barber said. "It really is a moral issue. There is no reason we shouldn’t be expanding Medicaid."

They also delivered a letter addressed to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house and the Tennessee General Assembly calling on them to provide health care for all, economic justice, voting rights, racial justice and police reform and equal protection under the law. It was signed by more than 30 clergy. 

"We write you because our various faith traditions compel us to act with a sense of urgency and moral obligation, not only as residents, but as human beings utterly disturbed by the lack of conscience reflected in the policies of this state’s government," the letter reads. "Policies that hurt the poor or hamper the access of the marginalized are unjust, undermining the integrity and common welfare of our state’s residents."

Reach Holly Meyer at hmeyer@tennessean.com or 615-259-8241 and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer.