MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County commissioners voted Wednesday to reinstate expelled Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson to his seat in the Tennessee House in the interim.
Pearson attended the special session at the Shelby County Administration Building Wednesday afternoon. As he entered, people in the room cheered loudly and chanted his name.
Before the vote, the "Tennessee Three" held a rally at the National Civil Rights Museum before marching to the Shelby County Administration Building.
After the vote, Pearson had a message for the lawmakers who voted to expel him last week.
"You can't expel hope. You can't expel justice. You can't expel our voice, and you sure can't expel our fight," Pearson said.
Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) were expelled from their House seats on Thursday for demonstrating on the House floor and calling for gun reform in response to The Covenant School shooting in Nashville. Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) was also up for expulsion but kept her seat after some Republicans voted against the resolution.
"I believe the expulsion of State Representative Justin Pearson was conducted in a hasty manner without consideration of other corrective action methods," Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery said. "I also believe that the ramifications for our great State are still yet to be seen."
On Monday, Nashville Metro leaders voted to reinstate Jones in the interim.
Both Pearson and Jones will need to be formally elected to their seats during upcoming special elections.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) said Monday that he would seat the chosen interim representatives "as the constitution requires."
"The two governing bodies will make the decision as to who they want to appoint to these seats. Those two individuals will be seated as representatives as the constitution requires," Sexton's office said.