After being expelled from the Tennessee State Legislature last week for inciting a riot at the Capitol in Nashville, Democrat lawmaker Justin Pearson has been appointed as his own interim replacement.
“Keep representing us to the best of your ability, and know that you all have support from this body,” said Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery before turning the floor over to Pearson for remarks.
BREAKING: Justin Pearson has been reappointed to the Tennessee House of Representatives.
He joins Justin Jones, who has already been reappointed. The Tennessee Three will be reunited. pic.twitter.com/Ef6MeK4hoS
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 12, 2023
Pearson was reappointed unanimously, and the crowd at the hearing roared after Lowery finished his remarks.
“A movement is rising,” said Pearson to a crowd of supporters and television cameras after the proceedings. “A movement is rising. They tried to kill democracy They tried to expel the people’s choice and the people’s vote. And they awakened a sleeping giant.”
“They put Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones and me on trial, but they ended up putting themselves on trial,” he said. “And the people’s verdict is back. Guilty!”
“They tried to kill democracy. They tried to expel the people’s choice and the people’s vote. And they awakened a sleeping giant.”
– Justin Pearson, after being reappointed to the Tennessee House
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) April 12, 2023
Pearson will serve as District 86’s State House Representative until a special election is held.
His temporary reinstatement comes on the heels of the reinstatement of State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville), who was expelled for helping to incite the same riot.
“During a special meeting called on Monday, the Nashville Metro City Council unanimously voted to reinstate State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) to the Tennessee House of Representatives,” The Tennessee Star reported. “He and another Democrat representative were expelled last week after they, along with State Rep. Gloria Johnson, commandeered the House Floor to demand gun control in the wake of the Covenant Presbyterian School shooting three days before on Monday.”
Also reported by The Star, Democrat-heavy hitters stepped in on Jones and Pearson’s behalf.
President Barack Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Speaker of the Tennessee House Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) threatening legal action if the lawmakers were not fully restored to office.
“The world is watching Tennessee. Any partisan retributive action, such as the discriminatory treatment of elected officials, or threats or actions to withhold funding for government programs, would constitute further unconstitutional action that would require redress,” the letter said.
– – –
Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Justin Pearson” by Justin Pearson.
I agree with Sick & Tired and Horatio. These “activists” lack the moral character to serve in the Assembly. It is one thing if Memphis and Nashville want to squander their representation in the Assembly. It is another when these two disrupt the People’s business for their own selfish. attention-seeking needs. The Assembly needs to have zero tolerance for these two. First, do not reinstate them to any committees. Second, house them in the capitol with an office so far down in bowels of the building it will take a guide to get them out. These two are a disgrace and shame on these two cities for thinking it is okay to send these clowns who disrupt the work of the other assembly representatives.
I wonder if “the people” also gave Pearson a legislative clue. Remember, these are the same “the people” who re-elected a dead person in November.
He had exactly zero sponsored or co-sponsored bills before the latest circus by these clowns. If “the people” actually wanted anything by legal means via their elected representative, he wasn’t doing it.
These Bullies don’t deserve to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly.
They have lost the respect of Tennesseans across this State.
The BIG Insurrection was funded by Dark money & many paid “protesters” were allowed to disrupt the business of this State, yet not one thug has been arrested. Actually I think all 3 of the Nashville Bullies should be arrested. What’s the difference in what they did & the J6 protesters. How many were paid agents of the FBI?
It is sickening to watch entitled narcissistic children
get away with being Thugs, with no consequences. Ask Pearson what his former “employment” with
“YEAR UP” consisted of. And how much money he made to go to school to be a trained activist. According to the YEAR UP website, young Black’s are paid a salary to be trained to be radical activists. It’s funded by the Clinton Global Initiative. It is very ” SAUL ALINSKI” type of training. It apparently transformed a very well spoken not at all extreme Pearson. He doesn’t he look like the same person he was in college. He actually looked & acted like a very respectful person. Nothing like he is today. CRT is very similar to Saul Alinski type of indoctrination. You have to stop it in its tracks. It’s a Communist cancer growing in our beloved State.
WAKE UP TENNESSEE. We have allowed two 20 something bullies run our State. GOD SAVE AMERICA.