Second Tennessee state lawmaker reinstated
Rep. Justin Pearson was ousted by Republicans last week for participating in a protest calling for gun reform.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A second Tennessee state representative was reinstated Wednesday after the Memphis City Council voted to return the Democrat to his former seat.
The Shelby County Commission overwhelmingly voted to send Rep. Justin Pearson back to the state Legislature after being ousted by Republicans last week for participating in a protest calling for gun reform on the state House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. He was removed along with Rep. Justin Jones, who was also renamed to his seat earlier this week.
“Brother Justin, again thank you man for continuing to be the voice that you are,” Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. said after voting to return Pearson to the Capitol.
“Continue to fight the good fight,” Caswell said.
Pearson responded with a warning message to the Republican supermajority in the state House and a rally cry to his supporters.
“The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can’t expel hope, you can’t expel justice, you can’t expel our voice and you sure can’t expel our fight,” Pearson said.
“We look forward to continuing to fight,” he said. “Let’s get back to work.”
Pearson is expected to return to work Thursday when the full state House will convene.
Ahead of the vote, supporters gathered at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, located where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, and marched toward the council meeting.
GOP leadership was angered by the Democrats’ protest and swiftly removed them from the chamber in an unusually partisan process. A third targeted member, Rep. Gloria Johnson, escaped expulsion by a single vote. Johnson suggested the vote went in her favor because she is white and Pearson and Jones are Black.
Republicans’ actions have propelled Nashville onto the national stage and drawn criticism from Democratic leaders including President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama.
Their ouster has also handed Tennessee Democrats a major organizing opportunity and the party is now attempting a political comeback in the deep red state.