Shelby Co. Commission reinstates Justin Pearson to Tenn. House; Hundreds march in support of his return

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Justin J. Pearson was reinstated as District 86 House Representative for the state of Tennessee.

The Shelby County Commission voted to fill that seat Wednesday, with seven commissioners voting in support of Pearson.

It’s done. @Justinjpearson is heading back to his seat as interim representative for District 86. @WMCActionNews5 pic.twitter.com/h6RFhAC20b
— Kelli Cook (@TVKelliC) April 12, 2023

Pearson and another house member, Justin Jones, were expelled for knowingly breaking house rules, disrupting business for more than an hour on the house floor, and protesting for more gun control with a bullhorn.

Earlier this week, Jones was reinstated via a unanimous vote by the council in Nashville.

Since being expelled from his position as District 86 House Representative, many have come out in support of Pearson calling for the young rep to be reinstated.

President Biden even tweeted last week, “The expulsion ... is shocking ... undemocratic and unprecedented.”

Pearson was elected back in January, becoming one of the youngest reps in the House replacing the late Barbara Cooper.

After being reinstated, Pearson shouted in rejoice to a crowd in the chambers.

“Nashville thought they could silence democracy, but they didn’t know the Shelby County Commission,” he said.

“ Justin Pearson to Republican lawmakers: “you can’t expel Hope.” pic.twitter.com/0agjCHU0Uh
— Kelli Cook (@TVKelliC) April 12, 2023

Pearson released this statement following the vote:

I’m so humbled and grateful to once again represent District 86. Thank you to those who rallied, marched, wrote letters, posted on social media and prayed for this moment. I thank the members of the Shelby County Commission for their courage to do what is right, to protect the representation that voters in District 86 went to the polls twice to earn.
We’ve been through a lot this past week, but the struggle continues and we’re in this together. We’ve seen more than our share of struggles in District 86–exploitation, racism, and all manner of inequities. But we’ve always triumphed because we’ve been on the right side of history. As Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” We are benders of that arc and justice is what we will achieve--justice for those who mourn the loss of loved ones to gun violence and endure the stubborn racial and financial disparities that have no place in our world.
Representative Justin Jones and I are back in the People’s House and the people have begun to turn the tide. With the eyes of the nation watching, Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order to strengthen background checks for gun purchasing, and GOP Representative Paul Sherrell has been removed from the House Criminal Justice Committee after suggesting Tennessee bring lynching back to our state.
The winds of change are blowing across Tennessee and our nation. This moment called for justice, for action. We weren’t silent. We answered and we prevailed. But, we have a long way to go. We must ban assault weapons. We must reimagine a school safety that nourishes and supports, educates, and protects our children, not one that criminalizes them and looks like a prison. We must look to Restorative Justice instead of police brutality and an unjust criminal justice system. We must fight back against the cruelty to our trans children and other LGBTQ siblings. We must fight environmental racism, instead bring clean energy and green jobs to our district. We must eliminate the policy violence of economic, social and political inequality.
None of this is easy, especially in a state so heavily gerrymandered and so anti-democratic as Tennessee, but our ancestors faced worse and they prevailed. So will we, as long as we stay in the streets, in the halls of power and in the front of the chamber–together.
Our values of democracy, freedom, equality, safety from gun violence and well-being for all are the majority values in our district, our state and our nation. We are the majority.
Thank you for bringing me back to the People’s House where we can accomplish great things together. We are the new Tennessee.
Rep. Justin Pearson

BREAKING | An ill-conceived expulsion is no match for the will of the people. Just now, I signed the appointment resolution of Rep. @Justinjpearson so he can go back to Nashville and continue the important work he has already started with @TNDemocrats. pic.twitter.com/ju8DGxzojo
— Mayor Lee Harris (@MayorLeeHarris) April 12, 2023

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