Tennessee Rep. Joe Armstrong resigns ahead of expected ouster

NASHVILLE, Tenn.— Democratic State Rep. Joe Armstrong on Friday submitted his resignation from the Tennessee General Assembly, avoiding an expected move to oust him following a felony tax fraud conviction in federal court.

State lawmakers are returning into special session next week to repeal a state drunken driving law that threatened to cost $60 million in federal road money. House Speaker Beth Harwell has said that her chamber will also take up efforts to remove Armstrong and another sitting member.

Armstrong's resignation means that that move will now be limited to Rep. Jeremy Durham, a Franklin Republican who was the subject of an extensive sexual-harassment probe by the state attorney general.

Harwell has said that the move to expel Durham has the support of enough members to reach the two-thirds threshold needed to succeed. Durham has denied most of the allegations and has said he will only attend the ouster proceedings if he is given a chance to present a defense and confront his anonymous accusers.

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