Edmund Ford Jr accuses Commercial Appeal reporter of harassment
Mark Russell, govt editor of The Professional Appeal, responded Monday to a sitting county commissioner’s allegations of bodily intimidation by CA reporter, Katherine Burgess.
Edmund Ford Jr., who signifies parts of South Memphis, submitted a report with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Business office in early December regarding an alleged occasion of intimidation that took place on June 6, 2021.
It can be not crystal clear why Ford waited a number of months prior to filing a criticism.
Russell, who spoke throughout the public comment part of the fee conference, said the criticism submitted by Ford “absolutely mischaracterizes” Burgess’ actions.
“I am here to aid Katherine, who was executing her task in the incident referenced in the law enforcement report,” Russell stated. “Katherine covers the commission and she will carry on to do so without fear or favor.”
Ford seemingly bristled at the remark and shot back.
“I never have anything to say to you at all. You got your two minutes, I explained what I mentioned,” Ford claimed, adding, “You are only accomplishing what you think is appropriate.”
Ford stated he would do no matter what is required to secure himself.
“If you want to get this even more, we can do it from a authorized viewpoint” Ford explained.
In accordance to the law enforcement report, Burgess entered the “Commissioners inside chambers” right after a general public conference and walked up behind Ford to ask a issue. At the time, Ford was the chair of the finances committee.
Ford told the sheriff’s business office that Burgess held a recording system and stood in excess of him as he sat down. Ford then alleges Burgess mentioned, “Either you speak to me or I will continue not telling the truth of the matter.”
Ford said Burgess was trying to provoke bodily make contact with by standing close enough to him that he could not go his chair devoid of bumping into her.
County Commissioner Amber Mills, in accordance to the report, witnessed the moment-and-a-fifty percent conversation but was not close more than enough to hear the conversation.
In December of 2020, Burgess and a colleague claimed that Ford failed to recuse himself from a vote that led to a $450,000 grant to Junior Achievement, a nonprofit primarily based in Memphis.
Immediately after Junior Achievement gained the grant, Ford bought computer systems to the nonprofit from his small business, E&J Computer system Products and services and Mend.
That reporting led to an ethics investigation by the District Legal professional General’s Office for the 17th Judicial District of Tennessee.
Ford, who named the reporting a “witch hunt”, has due to the fact refused to response any inquiries from Burgess.
Ford made supplemental feedback about the alleged incident all through a June 16 commission meeting, where by he reiterated that Burgess entered the interior chamber and claimed, “Do you want to communicate to me? Or do you want me to print the truth of the matter?”
“I asked the deputies to take away her as she would not depart, as her comments could be taken as terrorizing,” Ford said. Burgess was not existing in the course of the June 16 conference as Ford continued to accuse her of conspiring to report inaccurate information and facts.
Russell’s total assertion is beneath:
“Commissioners, thanks for letting me to discuss. I am Mark Russell, govt editor at The Commercial Attractiveness. And I function with Katherine Burgess, who handles the fee for The CA.
On Dec. 6, Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. filed an incident report saying that Katherine Burgess entered the inside fee chambers on June 7 with out authorization and approaching him from the rear, keeping a recording device and asking thoughts on a story she was doing the job on. Commissioner Ford even more accused Katherine of making an outlandish assertion and attempting to provoke physical call with him.
I am in this article these days to react to that very last accusation, which I consider totally mischaracterizes Katherine Burgess’ actions. I am in this article to aid Katherine, who was accomplishing her job in the incident referenced in the police report. Katherine handles the Fee and she will continue on to do so without concern or favor. And she is backed by The CA as an institution and by me as the govt editor.
The CA, its reporters and editors, led by me, welcomes criticism and we expect queries about how we do our work opportunities. But this incident report from Commissioner Ford seemed built to dissuade Katherine from undertaking her position. It will not do the job.
Many thanks for enabling me the time to deal with the full fee on this significant matter.”
Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Professional Appeal and can be reached at [email protected].
