The Shelby County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to return expelled Tennessee Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson back to the state House on Wednesday, with a 7-0 vote.
Expelling them was such a stupid overreaction. Clearly done by a group of people who lack any kind of perspective on the limits of power. After having untrammeled access to the reins of government for so long, they can’t recognize the shifts in the boundaries that society would have them follow.
We’re back, Mr. Speaker. Your move…
And now…this…
Throwing it in the racist’s faces, a tradition in the South for far too long. Now, let’s see if the Republicans double down on this and make an even more stupid move.
Yep… the legislature could have simply censured or otherwise admonished them, which would be your usual, run-of-the-mill Republican dickishness that would have come and gone in a 1/2 day in the news…
While I agree with everything in your post, more than just an abuse of power, we should also address the overt and shameless racism involved in these actions.
A special election will be held to fill Pearson and Jones’ seats permanently. Both are eligible to run for reelection but they will once again need to win an election to formally return to their seats for the rest of their two-year term.
The national publicity should let them build quite the warchest, which can be used to influence TN local elections for some time.
Speaking of a Speaker on the move… (short version: the TN House Speaker appears to live in Nashville, rather than in his district 2 hours away, which is a requirement of TN House members. But…he’s been filing per diem expense reports as if he were living 2 hours away, getting him $19k per year tax free instead of the $5k Nashville local members get to expense)
https://twitter.com/JuddLegum/status/1645400483345977349?s=20
So like Warnock, these 2 black men will have to win 2 elections just to serve one term…
Proving once again PoC have to work twice as hard to achieve the same things because of the racist society we live in…
Was it unintended consequences or collateral damage? 
The bubble that Republican politicians live in keeps them safe from any reality that might impinge on their ruthless pursuit of raw power.
If Fauxnooz is all they ever watch, they perceive the world as a very different place from the rest of humanity.
How is this not witness intimidation?
This is not like Warnock. A lawful and expected runoff election for failing to reach 50% is in no way like getting ejected from the TN House due to a gerrymandered supermajority pulling a racist stunt.
The Judd Legum residency thing is bullshit. To wit:
https://sos.tn.gov/elections/guides/guidelines-for-determining-residency
OT but related:
TN GQPers are really gonna regret kicking that hornets nest. Karma’s coming for them.
How is this not ludicrous??
(One trick pony scratching an itch… 
)
One back in Tennessee
One out in Arizona…
Knock, knock!!
Who’s there?
Karma, the Bitch!
Deal with it!
From your own link:
A change of residence is made not only by relocation, but also by intent to remain in the new location permanently, and by demonstrating actions consistent with that intention.
Like, say moving your household to Nashville and enrolling your kid in a Nashville-local school?
The following factors may be considered:
The person’s possession, acquisition or surrender of inhabitable property;
Location of the person’s occupation;
Place of licensing or registration of the person’s personal property;
Place of payment of taxes which are governed by residence;
Purpose for a person’s presence in a particular place; and
He hasn’t paid taxes on his Crossville condo in two years.
The place where a married person’s spouse and family live is presumed to be that person’s residence, unless that person takes up or continues abode with the intention of remaining in a place other than where the spouse and family reside.
Neighbors say he hasn’t been seen around the Crossville condo in ages.
So no, this is not bullshit. It’s not going to get him removed from office, but it is politically very embarrassing, and the extra $14k a year he’s been per-dieming as if he lived more than 50 miles from Nashville may bite him in the ass. At the very least he may have to reimburse $14k per year. Of course he can and will cure his residency situation before his next election (which he will win, got something like 82% last time), but make him squirm.
Also, I’ll bet this potemkin district residence practice is quite common in the TN House, who are something like 75% GOP. Make them squirm too. Shouldn’t have asked for the national spotllight.