Two young Black lawmakers from Tennessee have been expelled. State representatives Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson and Justin Pearson were all up for “expulsion,” from the state House of Representatives. House members decided Jones and Pearson, the two youngest Black representatives in office, would be removed, while Johnson, a White woman, would not be removed from office. The two lawmakers were removed for their participation in gun control protests following the March 27 Covenant School shooting in Nashville.
The #TennesseeThree, Rep. Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson, and Justin Pearson, walk into the House floor for the vote on their expulsion.
Hundreds of students from all over the state of Tennessee are here to support them in this fight for democracy. #Nashville pic.twitter.com/Bg8cXTgrte
— March For Our Lives ☮️🟧 (@AMarch4OurLives) April 6, 2023
“[This is] another example of a move to take the country back to a ‘states rights’ and ‘Jim Crow’ era that has a goal to destroy our representative democracy and replace it with an autocratic government structure that is ruled by White nationalists,” Melanie L. Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, said in a statement.
As the announcement to expel the lawmakers was made, citizens began chanting “Shame on you!”
BREAKING: Tennessee Republicans have expelled Rep. Justin Pearson from the state Legislature for his role in a protest that called for more gun control. Earlier, Rep. Justin Jones was ousted.
A vote to remove a third Democrat, Rep. Gloria Johnson, failed. https://t.co/FftwLoXdTa pic.twitter.com/XsKqHuaIgT
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 7, 2023
“For years, one of your colleagues, an admitted child molester, sat in this chamber – no expulsion,” Jones told his fellow lawmakers before the vote was made.
Wow: Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, one of the Dems that the GOP is trying to expel from state legislature to protesting gun violence, calls out his colleagues on the floor
‘For years, one of your colleagues, an admitted child molester, sat in this chamber – no expulsion’ pic.twitter.com/KNDrhX3gl1
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 6, 2023
Pearson spoke to the media in a viral clip after the decision was made.
“What’s going through my mind right now is that we need to fight for democracy in the state of Tennessee, and we need people not only just to vote, but people to show up and show out so we can end the gun violence epidemic that’s happening in our state,” Pearson said. “This is wrong, this is unjust and this isn’t the way it has to be. There is a better way for us to live and we don’t have to live this way, but the Republican party of the state of Tennessee wants to keep things the same. If you want to fight to change it, if you want to help make this place a better place, you have to use your voice, you have to use your power, and yes, sometimes, you’ve got to get expelled.”
"You cannot ignore the racial dynamic of what happened today": Tennessee Republicans expel two Black lawmakers from state legislature for participating in anti-gun violence protests. Justin Pearson remarks after expulsion. https://t.co/RdYLvfum24 pic.twitter.com/7kmMb2so0l
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 7, 2023
Pearson was took office in January, 2023 at 28, and Jones took office in 2022 at 27.
Protesters returned to the steps of the state capitol a day after the controversial decision was made. The expelled representatives also showed up at a Nashville church for a rally with an appearance from Vice President Kamala Harris on April 7.
Standing ovation for expelled representatives Justin J. Pearson and Justin Jones as they enter the chapel with fists raised. pic.twitter.com/nhisL05110
— Daja E. Henry 🌸 (@dajaehenry) April 7, 2023
