Social Justice

Tennessee lawmaker Justin Pearson reinstated after explusion

Pearson, 29, regained his seat to House District 86 after an unanimous vote from seven members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2023

Unheard Voices Staff

Justin Pearson reinstated to House District 86 after explusion

Justin J. Pearson Photo by Houston Cofield (Twitter @justinjpearson | https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1606432290808135680/9kceCNQ3.jpg)

Justin Pearson, the second of two Tennessee lawmakers expelled from the state legislature after leading a gun control protest on the chamber floor, has been reinstated.

Table of Contents

Justin Pearson reinstated

Pearson, 29, regained his seat to House District 86 after an unanimous vote from seven members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

His colleague Justin Jones, 27, was also unanimously voted back to the Tennessee House of Representatives on Monday.

Last week, Republican Tennessee House reps expelled Pearson and Jones. The rare expulsion vote came just days after a school shooting in Nashville that left six dead.

Statement

After Wednesday’s vote, Pearson addressed the crowd, saying:

“You can’t expel hope. You can’t expel justice. You can’t expel our voice. And you sure can’t expel our fight. We look forward to continuing to fight.”

Pearson and Jones will serve as interim representatives.

Tennessee law allows local legislative bodies to appoint interim House members to fill the seats of expelled lawmakers until an election is held

Special elections will occur in the coming months – and both lawmakers said they plan to run.

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Related Topics:Rep. Justin Pearson Tennessee Tennessee Three

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Unheard Voices Staff

Unheard Voices is an award-winning news magazine that started in 2004 as a newsletter in the Asbury Park, Neptune, and Long Branch, NJ areas to broadening into a recognized Black online media outlet. The company is one of the few outlets dedicated to covering social justice issues. They are the recipient of the NAACP Unsung Hero Award and CV Magazine's Innovator Award for Best Social Justice Communications Company.