Justin Jones returned to the Capitol chambers later that evening.
Justin Jones Was Reinstated Following A Unanimous Vote By Nashville’s Metro Council. (Photo: PBS)
Justin Jones Will Act As Legislature In Pro Tempore Capacity
Justin Jones, the Tennessee House representative who was expelled last week for taking part in a gun control rally, was unanimously voted back into office by Nashville’s Metro Council.
Until a special election is called, Jones will act as a legislator in a pro tempore capacity.
After the hearing on Monday, Jones said, “This is about people power. It shows that people power is the ultimate power, not the decision of [House Speaker] Cameron Sexton, but the decision of the people.
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Supporters Spoke Up For Justin Jone’s Fate
The council’s president, Vice Mayor Jim Shulman of Nashville, told ABC News that the meeting was hastily scheduled after the Republican-controlled statehouse on Thursday voted to expel Jones and Justin J. Pearson for allegedly breaking the decorum of the chamber by taking part in the March 30 protest.
A vote to expel state representative Gloria Johnson, who also took part in the demonstration following the mass shooting at the Covenant School on March 27, failed because not enough members voted in favor of it.
In the crowded meeting on Monday, Jones’ supporters spoke up and were heard as council members deliberated the fate of Jones’ seat.
Delishia Porterfield, a councilwoman who proposed Jones for election during the meeting, denounced the legislature’s decision to remove both Jones and Pearson, calling it a “miscarriage of justice and egregious assault on our democracy.”
She declared, “By voting to reinstate Representative Jones, we are restoring the voice of 70,000 District 52 residents.
After almost 12 minutes, the vote was finally counted, to a loud cheer from the audience.
With this vote, we will send a clear message to the government of our state and to all Americans that we will not put up with attempts to undermine our democracy, Porterfield said.
Outside the council chambers, Jones expressed gratitude to his supporters and rejoiced over being reinstated.
“Justice is about the movement of people, not about one person,” he said.
Jones, 27, ran for office in Tennessee’s 52nd District, which includes Nashville, last year for the open house seat. In the general election, he faced no opposition.
Later on Monday night, Jones returned to the Capitol chambers and reaffirmed his commitment to speaking up for his constituents.
To applause, Jones said, “I want to thank you all, not for what you did, but for awakening the people of this state, especially the young people.”
Jones entered the chambers as Johnson followed him on foot.
Pearson raised his fist in the air in support as he listened to Jones’ speech from the audience.
Pearson tweeted, “The voice of the people are back in the Peoples’s [sic] House.”
Thank you to the thousands who came to the people’s house today to demonstrate to the country that we will not submit to authoritarian attacks on our democracy, Jones later tweeted: “In the end, the people of Tennessee made the ultimate choice of courage and hope. Our fight is not over.”
READ ALSO: Two Black Democratic Ex-Lawmakers To Be Elected Back To Their Seats
