On Apr. 10, Democrat Justin Jones was sworn back into the Tennessee House of Representatives as interim representative. This comes four days after his expulsion from the Republican majority assembly.
Jones was reappointed by a unanimous vote of 36-0 from the Nashville Metropolitan Council.
Jones and fellow black Democrat Justin Pearson were expelled from the House of Representatives in a House session on Apr. 6, after calling for gun reform during a protest on the chamber floor. A third Democrat, Gloria Johnson, came close to being expelled for similar reasons. Johnson is white.
The protest was in response to the March 27 shooting in Nashville, which killed six people, including three children. Jones, Pearson, and Johnson advocated for gun reform on the state floor, addressing House representatives and protesters with a bullhorn.
The three were accused of “intentionally bringing disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives,” according to a WSMV report. They were not recognized to speak. A party-line was then held on Apr. 6, during which Jones and Pearson were expelled.
“What happened was a travesty of democracy because they expelled the two youngest black lawmakers, which is no coincidence from the Tennessee Legislature,” Jones told CNN. “Because we are outspoken, because we fight for our district.”
After returning to the House floor amid cheers from the gathered crowd, Jones joined another protest at the state Capitol building. As the protestors marched with Jones, they chanted, “whose House? Our House.”
“Today we are sending a resounding message that democracy will not be killed in the comfort of silence,” Jones told the crowd at the steps of the Capitol. “Today we send a clear message to Speaker Cameron Sexton that the people will not allow his crimes against democracy to happen without challenge.”
The vote to reappoint Jones’ House seat followed a vote to suspend a procedural rule that prevents an individual from being nominated and appointed to a House seat during the same meeting.
Jones’ reinstatement technically makes him a new member of the House, which means he can file 15 bills. Jones intends to focus all of them toward gun reform, because “that’s what these young people are begging us to do.”
Prior to Jones’ reinstatement, Sexton indicated he would not oppose local governing bodies giving Jones and Pearson their seats back. “The two governing bodies will make the decision as to who they want to appoint to these seats,” a spokesperson for Sexton told CNN. “Those two individuals will be seated as representatives as the constitution requires.”
Pearson’s seat, vacant as of Apr. 16, will be addressed during a special meeting of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis on Apr. 19, Commission Chairman Mickell Lowery said in a statement.
“I believe the expulsion of State Representative Justin Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner without consideration of other corrective action methods,” Lowery said.
Pearson joined Jones at the Capitol after the Nashville Metropolitan Council’s vote.
“It’s never a good idea to give up on the movement led by people that look like this, who are committed to the ideals but not just committed in heart but in body and spirit,” Pearson told protesters. “They’ll show up for the movement. The movement lives.”