Memphis Commissioner Reappoints Deposed Rep. Justin Pearson as Tennessee Representative

Memphis county officials voted unanimously for reappointment on Wednesday Justin Pearson Less than a week after the Tennessee Congressional election parliament voted to banish he and another black Democrat protest against gun violence.

The Shelby County Commission, tasked with nominating someone to fill the seat, convened to discuss Pearson’s reappointment and voted to send him back to Nashville. Pearson addressed the commissioners and dozens of supporters gathered at the conference.

“I thought Nashville could silence democracy, but they didn’t know the Shelby County Commission,” Pearson said in response to post-vote cheers. Message to all in Nashville: Hope cannot be banished, love cannot be banished, our voices cannot be banished, and our fights cannot be banished I look forward to continuing to fight and defend until justice flows down like water, justice flows down like a constant stream. Let’s get back to work.”

Justin Pearson marches with his supporters from the National Civil Rights Museum to the Shelby County Commission on April 12, 2023.

Karen Palfer Focht / Reuters


Before the vote, committee chair Mikel Lowry said: CBS Memphis affiliate WREG Many commissioners wanted Pearson reappointed. All seven members assembled voted for his reinstatement.

“My goal was to secure a quorum. I’m pretty confident about that. If you don’t feel confident about appointing Justin Pearson, I didn’t call the meeting.” Lowry told WREG..

Justin JonesRepresented Nashville and was exiled along with Pearson.

Pearson, Jones, and a third member of Congress, Gloria Johnson, were killed in a shooting at the Tennessee State Capitol on March 30, days after a shooting at a Nashville school killed three children and three adults. Participated in protests against violence. With a Republican majority in Congress, there was a move on April 6 to oust all three of her members. Johnson survived by one vote behind her, and her remaining two were exiled.

Asked why she survived, in contrast to Jones and Pearson, Johnson, who is white, told MSNBC she was “a 60-year-old white woman and they are two young black men.” .

But per the banishment rules, Republican Gov. Bill Lee must sign a so-called election warrant to set the date for a future special election. Expulsions by the House are extremely rare—he is the only two person to have been expelled from the House since 1866. In 1866, six of his legislators were removed from office for trying to prevent Tennessee from ratifying the Fourteenth Amendment, which gave citizenship to former slaves. CBS Affiliate WTVF in Nashville.

The fight at the Tennessee State Capitol drew national attention. US Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Justice Department on Wednesday calling for her deportation and an investigation into federal civil rights violations.

Vice President Kamala Harris makes a last-minute business trip I went to Nashville last Friday and met Jones, Pearson and Johnson, the so-called “Tennessee Three”. Harris on Nashville’s historic Black when he told crowds at Fisk College that Jones, Pearson and Johnson were being silenced and choked as they fought “for the safety of their children.” , received loud applause and several standing ovations.

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Memphis county officials voted unanimously for reappointment on Wednesday Justin Pearson Less than a week after the Tennessee Congressional election parliament voted to banish he and another black Democrat protest against gun violence.The Shelby County Commission, tasked with nominating someone to fill the seat, convened to discuss Pearson’s reappointment and voted to send him back to Nashville. Pearson addressed the commissioners and dozens of supporters gathered at the conference.”I thought Nashville could silence democracy, but they didn’t know the Shelby County Commission,” Pearson said in response to post-vote cheers. Message to all in Nashville: Hope cannot be banished, love cannot be banished, our voices cannot be banished, and our fights cannot be banished I look forward to continuing to fight and defend until justice flows down like water, justice flows down like a constant stream. Let’s get back to work.”

Justin Pearson marches with his supporters from the National Civil Rights Museum to the Shelby County Commission on April 12, 2023.

Karen Palfer Focht / Reuters

Before the vote, committee chair Mikel Lowry said: CBS Memphis affiliate WREG Many commissioners wanted Pearson reappointed. All seven members assembled voted for his reinstatement.

“My goal was to secure a quorum. I’m pretty confident about that. If you don’t feel confident about appointing Justin Pearson, I didn’t call the meeting.” Lowry told WREG.. Justin JonesRepresented Nashville and was exiled along with Pearson.

Pearson, Jones, and a third member of Congress, Gloria Johnson, were killed in a shooting at the Tennessee State Capitol on March 30, days after a shooting at a Nashville school killed three children and three adults. Participated in protests against violence. With a Republican majority in Congress, there was a move on April 6 to oust all three of her members. Johnson survived by one vote behind her, and her remaining two were exiled. Asked why she survived, in contrast to Jones and Pearson, Johnson, who is white, told MSNBC she was “a 60-year-old white woman and they are two young black men.” .But per the banishment rules, Republican Gov. Bill Lee must sign a so-called election warrant to set the date for a future special election. Expulsions by the House are extremely rare—he is the only two person to have been expelled from the House since 1866. In 1866, six of his legislators were removed from office for trying to prevent Tennessee from ratifying the Fourteenth Amendment, which gave citizenship to former slaves. CBS Affiliate WTVF in Nashville. The fight at the Tennessee State Capitol drew national attention. US Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Justice Department on Wednesday calling for her deportation and an investigation into federal civil rights violations.

Vice President Kamala Harris makes a last-minute business trip I went to Nashville last Friday and met Jones, Pearson and Johnson, the so-called “Tennessee Three”. Harris on Nashville’s historic Black when he told crowds at Fisk College that Jones, Pearson and Johnson were being silenced and choked as they fought “for the safety of their children.” , received loud applause and several standing ovations.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justin-pearson-tennessee-three-justin-jones-shelby-county-board-of-commissioners-meeting-today-2023-04-12/ Memphis Commissioner Reappoints Deposed Rep. Justin Pearson as Tennessee Representative

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