NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The screams in the gallery didn't quieten as Rep. Justin Pearson was the second lawmaker expelled from the legislature on Thursday.
Members stayed in the House session nine hours. Pearson's proceedings lasted for two hours. The Memphis Democrat followed Rep. Justin Jones in his expulsion. The Memphis City Council will have to appoint someone in the slot that Rep. Barbara Cooper held for decades.
"What's going through my mind is we need to fight for democracy," Pearson said as he walked off the House floor. "This is wrong. This is unjust. There's a better way for this to be."
Jones, D-Nashville, and Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, were stripped of House committees Monday. Pearson was just seated and had no committee assignments. Additionally, the trio had their ID badges to get into the legislature turned off.
No damage was done to the Tennessee capitol nor were there any arrests made on the day that Jones, Pearson and Johnson led the crowd from the House floor in the middle of the session with chants. Rep. Jones had a bullhorn. On that day, hundreds arrived at the capitol to try to talk to lawmakers about gun legislation in light of The Covenant School shooting. In the mass shooting, six people — including three 9-year-olds — died at the hand of a 28-year-old Nashvillian.
Pearson hasn't been a lawmaker long or able to do much this legislative session because of his appointment then a special-election.
"I want to be clear. We aren't relinquishing it. You are disenfranchising people in our state. We aren't giving anything away," Pearson said.
Pearson stood next to Jones during the disruption but said he didn't know he was allowed to stand near the clerk's desk unless called upon.
"Resurrection is always guaranteed after persecution," Pearson said. "This House hasn't been a place of debate."
