By J. Holly McCall | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning, Lookout readers:
In the latest unpleasantness emanating from the Memphis Safe Task Force, the alphabet soup of federal and state agencies that’s been occupying Memphis for about a year, Sam Stockard reports a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging task force actions has filed documents in federal court alleging retaliation and harassment from agents.
A declaration from the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, on behalf of Hunter Demster, cites several recent incidents in which Demster was apparently targeted for taping agents, which is allowable under the First Amendment.
The filing is backed by videos, one of which shows agents handcuffing and arresting Demster after pushing him back from the scene of a task force incident while citing Tennessee’s new “halo” or “buffer” law. The law states observers must be 25-feet from from law enforcement officers.
The Tennessee Lookout is part of a coalition of media outlets challenging the law.
In other news:
Ad watch: Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, the Democratic nominee for the 5th Congressional District, is out of the gate with his first ad in the general election cycle, addressing his plans to tackle corruption in government.
Hatcher goes big. In the same race, Republican nominee Charlie Hatcher will hold a fundraiser at the Tennessee Residence, home of Gov. Bill Lee, to be hosted by Lee, former Gov. Bill Haslam and former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist. Ticket prices range from $1,000 to $7,000 and the host list includes GOP luminaries like auto magnate Lee Beaman, financial guru Dave Ramsey and sports/political commentator Clay Travis.
Poll alert: A poll from Hart Research, a Democratic-leaning public research firm, shows a statistical dead heat in the race for the new 9th Congressional District. Republican nominee, state Sen. Brent Taylor, is at 48% and the Democratic nominee, state Rep. Justin Pearson at 44%, according the poll.
The Tennessee Democratic Party on Tuesday announced the creation of a statewide Voter Protection Program to be led by Metro Nashville Councilmember Clay Capps. Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell is financially supporting the program with funds from his leadership political action committee, Ready PAC.
Easy come, easy go. Bill Dries with the Daily Memphis reports that newly-elected Shelby County Commissioner Will Richardson was arrested and jailed on Wednesday — the day of his first county commission meeting — for falsifying state revenue and tax documents.
THE LOOKOUT’S TOP STORY
In a lawsuit filed on his behalf by the ACLU, Hunter Demster, photographed in Nov. 2025, alleges federal agents with the Memphis Safe Task Force have harassed and intimidated him for recording their activities. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
by Sam Stockard
Memphis Safe Task Force agents are continuing to harass and intimidate people who record their activities, according to a new federal court filing by the American Civil Liberties Union.
NEWS AND NOTES
Trump administration aims to exclude many noncitizens from the census| Ariana Figueroa, States Newsroom
Salvadorans await word on protected status as midnight deadline approaches | Ariana Figueroa, States Newsroom
FEATURED IN THE LOOKOUT
Parade participants kick off the Tennessee Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee, on Sept. 8, 2026. The community banded together to put the annual festival on. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Photograph by John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout
by Cassandra Stephenson
After Martin, Tennessee’s mayor was indicted in November, for misconduct and theft, the Tennessee Soybean Festival Committee announced the cancellation of the annual festival. But residents of the West Tennessee banded together to keep the event alive, and a grassroots version of the festival continues the tradition.
FEATURED IN THE LOOKOUT
An Advance Financial store in Sparta, Tennessee is one of the stores that was not closed as part of the company’s restructuring. (Stacy Kranitz for ProPublica)
by Adam Friedman
Nashville-based payday lender Advance Financial closed over 40 of its storefront locations Wednesday in a move a company spokesman attributes to restructuring and consolidation of some stores.
ICYMI
COMMENTARY
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