State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) earned an early endorsement from the Justice Democrats, a progressive political action committee (PAC) launched by former staffers for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), in his campaign to unseat U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09).
On Monday, the group began raising money for Pearson, sharing with its audience his participation in a 2023 anti-gun riot at the Tennessee State House, which resulted in his expulsion from the legislature that year.
The fundraising email sent by the Justice Democrats, and obtained by The Tennessee Star, noted Pearson participated in the civil unrest alongside State Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), and that while Johnson was narrowly “spared” from expulsion, both Pearson and Jones were later returned to their positions in the Legislature by their respective county commissions.
According to the Justice Democrats, their expulsion and return demonstrates that, “true power is with the people, and far-right forces — from the Tennessee Republican Party to Donald Trump and his MAGA cult in Congress — know that and are afraid of it.”
The Justice Democrats then invited their progressive donors to help Pearson replace Cohen in Congress.
“Justin is ready to take this fighting spirit to Washington on behalf of the working people of Memphis and join Justice Democrats like Summer Lee, Rashida Tlaib, and Delia Ramirez in working to stop fascism while pushing for bold solutions to gun violence, economic inequality, climate change, and more,” wrote the PAC.
One of only three primary election candidates currently endorsed by Justice Democrats, the PAC’s website describes Pearson as, “Known for his oratory gifts,” and a “justice warrior and democracy champion who organizes, mobilizes, and activates People Power.”
The PAC claims affiliation with nine current members of Congress, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), and Summer Lee (D-PA-12).
Justice Democrats was previously named in a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against Ocasio-Cortez in 2019, who the group helped elect for the first time the previous year. Ocasio-Cortez was accused of engaging in a “subsidiary scheme” with the PAC without properly reporting their relationship to the FEC.
More recently, Justice Democrats backed a primary challenger to former U.S. Representative Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) in 2021, though the district was later redrawn, resulting in an easy victory for Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).
Cohen was first elected to represent Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District in 2006. He previously spent more than 20 years in the Tennessee State Senate.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Justin Pearson” by Justin Pearson. Photo “Steve Cohen” by Steve Cohen.Â
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