by State Rep. Mike Sparks (R-Smyrna)
The year 2020 will go down as being known for COVID-19, social-distancing, and the political ambush of State Rep. John DeBerry by the Tennessee Democratic Party. DeBerry, a Memphis Democrat and respected statesman in the House of Representatives, was ousted by his own party back in May by a 41-18 vote by members of the Tennessee Democrat Executive Committee.
Rather than letting voters take him off the ballot, a committee of Democrats who probably never visited his district cast him out for being conservative on social issues.
But it seems when God closes one door it seems he always opens another and He had a bigger plan for DeBerry. Gov. Bill Lee announced on Nov. 30 that DeBerry would join his cabinet as a senior advisor beginning Dec. 1. His office will be at the State Capitol and he’ll receive an annual salary of $165,000. DeBerry will play a key role advising the governor and shaping policy when it comes to important issues impacting Tennesseans.
DeBerry, a faithful Democrat since 1970 and representative for House District 90 since 1995, is an honorable man of deep conviction and integrity. He dutifully served his district for 26 years, never wavering from the same core beliefs voters elected him 13 times to uphold.
“I think the agenda is to sanitize the Democratic Party to where it is a mindless group of folks who simply follow an agenda that is placed before them,” DeBerry told Morning Host Robyn Walensky of Memphis KWAM News on June 22.
“I see them going backwards trying to sanitize the country. We are going down a dangerous path. We’re on a slippery slope that’s going to lead us exactly where our enemies said we were going to be in the ’60s,” DeBerry said.
The “lamestream media” barely covered the DeBerry political ambush when it happened. Do you know why? The reason is that the narrative doesn’t line-up with the agenda of the lying left, who tout themselves as the party of tolerance. DeBerry is a victim of religious persecution at the hands of an ever-growing leftist Democrat Party. A party who has become anti-Christian, anti-life, socialist and intolerant of others views.
Democrats’ dwindling base further demonstrates how out of touch the left is with the majority of people in our state.
What the Tennessee Democrat Executive Committee did to Rep. DeBerry is wrong, and creates a slippery slope on free and fair elections. The voting rights of the people of Memphis were more than suppressed; they were forbidden to vote for their 26-year state representative who has represented them with integrity and character. Shame on you NAACP, ACLU, Tennessee Democrat Executive Committee, mainstream media and others who turn a blind-eye to this racist, anti-Christian bigoted atrocity.
Thankfully, an overwhelming majority of Tennesseans can plainly see that the Democratic Party has become the party of intolerance and will only move our state backwards.
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State Rep. Mike Sparks serves the 49th Tennessee House District. Mike can be reached at [email protected] or 615-741-6829.
Photo “Gov. Bill Lee and Senior Advisor John DeBerry” by Gov. Bill Lee.
[…] by the state Democrat (or even local Democrat) party leaders since a similar nefarious plan was used in 2020 to eliminate Rep. John DeBerry from qualifying to run for […]
Well stated! Irrespective of what political Party he had aligned himself with, first and foremost, John DeBerry is a GREAT American and Tennessean, who always placed the best interests of citizens ahead of his own!
Now that he, and many Black folk, have divested themselves of the Democrat Party shackles, they can move on to bigger and better endeavors. And I, for one, look forward to seeing and supporting it!
As more socialist Democrats and communists pretending to be socialist Democrats take over the party there will be no place for any moderates or people who do not do what they are told.