Casada’s office orders removal of women protesting Rep. Byrd

House Speaker Glen Casada’s office ordered troopers to remove six women holding signs protesting Rep. David Byrd’s chairmanship from a committee meeting.

NOW: trooper says Speaker Glen Casada’s office has asked them to have women move who are in Rep. David Byrd’s committee meeting holding 8×11” signs and speaking to lawmakers during recess. pic.twitter.com/kbCI738Umz

— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) February 26, 2019

The Associated Press reports the women sitting in the audience held signs at face-level reading “Enough is enough,” “Take a stand,” and “Protect constituents.” Three women have accused Bryd of sexual misconduct when they were teenage basketball players and he was their their 28-year-old high school basketball coach.

One of the women, Christi Rice, has since recorded a call to Byrd in which the lawmaker apologizes for unspecified transgressions. He has denied anything happened with other students.

“I wish I had a do-over because I promise you I would have corrected that and that would’ve never happened,” Byrd said in the recorded call. “But I hope you believe me when I say that it’s one of those things that I think about it all the time, and I always ask forgiveness for it and I hope you forgive me.”

Casada’s predecessor, Beth Harwell, had demanded Byrd’s resignation after the allegations were first aired by WSMV-TV last year. But Casada has deemed the allegations to be “fake news” and appointed Byrd chairman of an education subcommittee after he was overwhelmingly re-elected in November.

None of the protesters were charged after being removed from the room. During a recess, they had challenged lawmakers about whether they approve of Byrd being named chairman.

“The Bible says all standing fall short,” said Rep. Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station).

“So you’re admitting that he did it,” one person called out.

“I’m admitting that we all make mistakes,” Sexton said.