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John, in a moment, I’m going to ask you to split a donation between Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville and Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis, Tennessee. But first, please give me a moment to explain why, and why your support — especially today — is so important.
Republicans in the Tennessee House of Representatives just expelled Rep. Jones and Rep. Pearson from the chamber for standing up to the NRA and protesting gun violence after a mass shooter slaughtered 6 people in a Nashville school — including 3 nine-year-old children.
Rep. Jones and Rep. Pearson were two of the only Democrats and Black lawmakers in the chamber. Following the Nashville school shooting, they stood with over 1,000 youth protesters who staged a peaceful protest at the Tennessee Capitol for gun safety legislation.
Republicans called these youth protesters “insurrectionists,” with the GOP House Speaker saying it was “at least equivalent, maybe worse” than the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Soon thereafter, Reps. Jones and Pearson were singled out for an expulsion vote along with one of their white Democratic colleagues.
But only Reps. Pearson and Jones were expelled. Tennessee Republicans are sending a very clear message: That two young Black men democratically elected by their districts to represent them in the Capitol can be silenced in an authoritarian show of force against dissent.
Photo credit: Reuters/Cheney Orr
Let’s be clear about what’s going on here, John: This is an affront to democracy — to respond to a protest against gun violence and the murder of children — with one of the most blatantly authoritarian and unconscionable actions taken by Republicans yet, expulsion from office.
I’m running for the United States Senate to defend our democracy and make it stronger. But today, I’m not the one who needs your support — Tennessee Democrats like Justin Jones and Justin Pearson also need your help.
Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson will be running in special elections to continue representing the districts that Tennessee Republicans just expelled them from serving in the state House. Let’s give them a bullhorn.
My team tells me that a good email can raise about $20,000. That’s from just a few hundred people chipping in. To send a clear message, we should strive to raise ten times that for their campaigns — but John, I’m being completely honest, it’s going to take your donation to help get there.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your split donation to Justin Jones and Justin Pearson will go through immediately:
Tennessee Republicans made a choice yesterday — to continue an ugly legacy of discrimination and denial of political representation to Black Tennesseans.
We can make a different choice. And we can be active participants in helping to shape our future.
— Adam
