Shelby County Board of Commissioners Unanimously Votes to Return Expelled Tennessee Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson to House of Representatives

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to return expelled Tennessee Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson back to the state House on Wednesday, with a 7-0 vote. The vote to return Pearson to his seat – vacated last Thursday when the GOP-dominated chamber expelled him and two other Democrats for calling for gun reform on the chamber floor – came after the board voted to suspend a rule that would have required a waiting period between his nomination and confirmation.

The confirmation of Pearson’s reappointment to the Tennessee House of Representatives was met with cheers and applause from the crowd of demonstrators in the meeting room. Pearson addressed the crowd, saying “You can’t expel our voice and you sure can’t expel our fight. The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can’t expel hope! You cannot expel justice!”

Pearson’s reappointment to the House of Representatives was met with support from both sides of the aisle. Republican Commissioner Mark Billingsley said, “I think it’s important that we have a full House and that we have a full representation of the people of the state of Tennessee.”

The vote to appoint Pearson passed 7-0, and Pearson expressed his gratitude for the support he has received. “We look forward to continuing to fight,” Pearson said after the vote. “You sure can’t expel our fight!”

Pearson’s return to the House of Representatives is a victory for gun reform advocates in the state of Tennessee. While Pearson’s tenure as an interim representative is limited, his reappointment is a reminder that the fight for gun reform is far from over.