MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Story courtesy of WVLT / WMC) – The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that Governor Bill Lee acted beyond his authority in deploying the National Guard to Memphis.
Monday’s ruling temporarily halts the National Guard’s surge in Memphis, an effort sought by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and others in an ongoing lawsuit against the governor.
The plaintiffs include Mayor Harris, Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley, Shelby Co. Commissioners Erika Sugarmon and Henri Brooks, State Representatives G.A. Hardaway and Gabby Salinas, and State Senator Jeff Yarbro.
“This ruling is a powerful affirmation that no one—not a president, not a governor—is above the law,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward. “When leaders use military force to intimidate rather than to protect, they threaten both our safety and our democracy. Today’s decision restores the rule of law in Tennessee and sends a clear message that our service members will not be used as political props.”
The National Guard was deployed to Memphis as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, which was announced by President Donald Trump on September 12 and began operations inside Memphis city limits later that month.
Mayor Lee Harris said in a statement that the state will have a chance to appeal the ruling before the deployment efforts pause.
Rep. Salinas reacted to the judge’s decision with a statement, saying, “The judge granting our injunction is a win for democracy and win for the people. It demonstrates that no one is above the law, not even the Governor. Our communities have felt the injustice of the deployment and the courts agree.”
Republican Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright tells Action News 5, “I appreciate state and national leaders prioritizing safety in Memphis and I hope that commitment does not change regardless of what any court says.”
Other Republican leaders are condemning the decision as one that will hurt the bolstered efforts to reduce crime in the Bluff City.
Luke Cymbal, the vice chairman for the Republican Party of Shelby County, says he is confident an appeal will overturn the judge’s decision.
“We have seen activist trial court judges around the country overturned on appeal, and Tennessee is apparently no different. This is a bad decision by a Democrat Chancellor, and we are confident it will be overturned on appeal. Democrats are intent on opposing Republicans’ efforts to clean up crime in Memphis. This shouldn’t be partisan, but Democrats led by Mayor Lee Harris and Tirade Tami Sawyer are making it so. With or without their help, we are determined to restore law and order to Memphis. The people of Memphis will remember who helped in this endeavor.”
