Source: Politics<\/p>\n
NASHVILLE, Tenn. \u2014 A second Tennessee state representative was reinstated Wednesday after the Memphis City Council voted to return the Democrat to his former seat.<\/p>\n
The Shelby County Commission overwhelmingly voted to send Rep. Justin Pearson back to the state Legislature after being ousted<\/a> by Republicans last week for participating in a protest calling for gun reform on the state House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. He was removed along with Rep. Justin Jones, who was also renamed to his seat<\/a> earlier this week.<\/p>\n \u201cBrother Justin, again thank you man for continuing to be the voice that you are,\u201d Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. said after voting to return Pearson to the Capitol.<\/p>\n \u201cContinue to fight the good fight,\u201d Caswell said.<\/p>\n Pearson responded with a warning message to the Republican supermajority in the state House and a rally cry to his supporters.<\/p>\n \u201cThe message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can\u2019t expel hope, you can\u2019t expel justice, you can\u2019t expel our voice and you sure can\u2019t expel our fight,\u201d Pearson said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe look forward to continuing to fight,\u201d he said. \u201cLet\u2019s get back to work.\u201d<\/p>\n Pearson is expected to return to work Thursday when the full state House will convene.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ahead of the vote, supporters gathered at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, located where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, and marched toward the council meeting.<\/p>\n GOP leadership was angered by the Democrats\u2019 protest and swiftly removed them from the chamber in an unusually partisan process. A third targeted member, Rep. Gloria Johnson, escaped expulsion by a single vote. Johnson suggested the vote went in her favor because she is white and Pearson and Jones are Black.<\/p>\n Republicans\u2019 actions have propelled Nashville onto the national stage and drawn criticism from Democratic leaders including President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n Their ouster has also handed Tennessee Democrats a major organizing opportunity and the party is now attempting a<\/a> political comeback in the deep red state.<\/p>\n