By J. Holly McCall | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning, Lookout readers.
Intimidation, surveillance and in one case, assault — by agents with the Memphis Safe Task Force, the alphabet soup of federal agencies and state deployed to Memphis by President Donald Trump and Gov. Bill Lee.
As part of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, Tennesseans who have been observers of actions taken by task force agents detail “a startling pattern of retaliation, intimidation and harassment.”
One woman who was filming a traffic stop — which is protected by the First Amendment — shared video of a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer threatening her with arrest before he and another officer tackled her and handcuffed her.
Others giving declarations in the case report being followed by task force members, in some cases so closely they feared being rammed; screamed and cursed at by agents; having Ring-style door cameras at their homes disabled and pulled over by law enforcement for nonexistent infractions.
THE LOOKOUT’S TOP STORY
As part of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, bystanders to traffic stops by agents with the Memphis Safe Task Force, members of whom are pictured here during a November traffic stop, report being followed, assaulted and intimidated. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
by Anita Wadhwani and Cassandra Stephenson
In the eight months since President Donald Trump established the Memphis Safe Task Force, volunteer observers say they have been subject to harassment, intimidation, surveillance and — in one instance — assault and arrest as they tried to document the activities of federal and state law enforcement officers.
NEWS AND NOTES
Trump’s $1.77 billion ‘slush fund’ may be on the way out after GOP objections | Ashley Murray, States Newsroom
Some trans military members banned by Trump allowed to continue service under ruling | Ashley Murray, States Newsroom
FEATURED ON THE LOOKOUT
On the ballot in November is a measure to constitutionally prohibit a state property tax, although Tennessee has not had one since 1946. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
by Sam Stockard
Tennessee’s Republican leaders are embarking on a campaign to pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting a state property tax, even though the state hasn’t had one for more than 75 years.
Commentary
Realtors who support the industry political action committee, RPAC, should evaluate if donations made by the committee align with the industry’s ethical standards. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
by Rodney Tate, Jr. and Nathan Weinberg
Political advocacy is important, it may be time for Realtors to decide if they should financially support lawmakers promoting discriminatory and anti-democratic policies.
ICYMI
TN unemployment low, but sheds jobs for the 5th month in a row | Adam Friedman
FEMA payouts for Tennesseans affected by winter ice storm surpass $36 million | Cassandra Stephenson
Community air monitoring project finds South Memphis is regularly exposed to unsafe air pollution | Cassandra Stephenson
COMMENTARY
Editor’s notebook: The silence of Tennessee’s ‘statesmen’ | J. Holly McCall
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