Justin Pearson Reappointed to Tennessee House After Expulsion

Pearson’s return follows the unanimous decision by the Nashville Metropolitan Council to reappoint his colleague, Justin Jones, earlier this week. Both men were ousted by the GOP supermajority, while a similar motion against Rep. Gloria Johnson, who also participated in the demonstration, failed by a narrow margin. Speaking at the National Civil Rights Museum before the vote, Pearson characterized the expulsion as an attack on the 135,000 constituents he represents.

The reappointment occurred despite alleged warnings that the county could face reductions in state resources for its defiance. Addressing the assembly, Pearson vowed to continue his advocacy against the legislature’s push to arm teachers and increase school security funding, which he argued prioritizes militarization over safety. Meanwhile, a group of Democratic U.S. senators, including Chuck Schumer and Raphael Warnock, has formally requested that the Department of Justice investigate whether the expulsions violated the constitutional rights of the representatives and their voters.