CA Responds to Journalist’s Allegation of Harassment of County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr.

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Commissioner Dr Edmund Ford, Jr. speaks on Monday, November 4, 2019, during a Shelby County Committee meeting at the Vasco A. Smith, Jr. County Administration Building in downtown Memphis.

Mark Russell, editor of The Commercial Appeal, responded on Monday to allegations of “physical intimidation” of a sitting county commissioner by CA reporter Katherine Burgess.

Edmund Ford Jr., who represents parts of southern Memphis, filed a report with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in early December regarding an alleged case of “physical intimidation” that took place on June 6, 2021.

It is not known why Ford waited several months before filing a complaint.

Russell, who spoke during the public comment portion of the committee meeting, said the Ford complaint “completely misrepresents” Burgess’ actions.

“I am here to support Katherine, who was doing her job in the incident mentioned in the police report,” Russell said. “Katherine is covering the commission and she will continue to do so without fear or favor.”

Ford apparently bristled at the comment and fired back.

“I have nothing to say to you at all. You have your two minutes, I said what I said,” Ford said, adding, “You only do what you think is right.”

Ford has said he will do whatever it takes to protect himself.

“If you want to take it further, we can do it from a legal standpoint,” Ford said.

According to the police report, Burgess entered the “interior chambers of the commissioners” after a public meeting and approached behind Ford to ask a question. At the time, Ford was the chairman of the budget committee.

Ford told the sheriff’s office that Burgess was holding a recording device and standing over him as he sat down. Ford then alleges that Burgess said, “Either you talk to me or I will continue to not tell the truth.”

Ford said Burgess was trying to elicit physical contact by standing close enough to him that he couldn’t move his chair without hitting it.

County Commissioner Amber Mills witnessed the one-and-a-half-minute interaction, according to the report, but was not close enough to hear the conversation.

The story continues

In December 2020, Burgess and a colleague reported that Ford had not recused himself from a vote that led to a $ 450,000 grant to Junior Achievement, a Memphis-based nonprofit.

After Junior Achievement received the grant, Ford sold computers to his company’s nonprofit, E&J Computer Services and Repair.

This report led to an ethics investigation by the Tennessee 17th Judicial District attorney general’s office.

Ford, who called the report a “witch hunt,” has since refused to respond to Burgess’ requests.

Ford made additional comments on the alleged incident at a committee meeting on June 16, where he reiterated that Burgess walked into the interior chamber and said, “Do you want to talk to me? Or do you want me to print the truth?

“I have asked the deputies to withdraw her because she will not leave, because her comments could be considered terrorizing,” said Ford. Burgess was not present at the June 16 meeting as Ford continued to accuse him of conspiring to report inaccurate information.

Russell’s full statement is below:

“Commissioners, thank you for allowing me to speak. I’m Mark Russell, editor-in-chief of The Commercial Appeal. And I work with Katherine Burgess, who covers the commission for The CA.

On December 6, Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. filed an incident report saying that Katherine Burgess entered the Internal Committee chambers on June 7 without permission and approached him from behind, holding a device. recording and asking questions about a story she was working on. Commissioner Ford further accused Katherine of making a strange statement and of attempting to provoke physical contact with him.

I am here today to respond to the latter accusation, which in my opinion completely misrepresents the actions of Katherine Burgess. I am here to support Katherine, who was doing her job in the incident mentioned in the police report. Katherine covers the Commission and she will continue to do so without fear or favor. And it is supported by the Board as an institution and by me as the editor-in-chief.

The Board, its reporters and editors, led by me, welcome criticism and await questions about how we do our work. But this incident report from Commissioner Ford seemed intended to dissuade Katherine from doing her job. It won’t work.

Thank you for giving me the time to address the entire committee on this important issue. “

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal and can be contacted at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Edmund Ford Jr accuses journalist Commercial Appeal of harassment

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