Just like a Memphis political soap opera, the story line continues, and it gets even more difficult to understand.
Memphis City Council Chairman Berlin Boyd says yes, the wording on a ballot question that would have people decide whether there should be limits of three consecutive terms, instead of two terms; that wording was a mistake made by City Council lawyer Allan Wade.
That’s all it was.
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Boyd told reporters. “This was just a slight mistake he made. We’re not perfect individuals. To make a story to say it was some type of conspiracy, you have to put yourself in another person’s shoes. We all make mistakes.”
Dr Willie Herenton, elected to five terms as mayor, is running for the job again.
The election is next year, but this term limit question is making him boil over.
The way it is written means if approved, he can’t run for Mayor.
He said, “Why don’t they just simply say this is the Willie Herenton ordinance to prevent him from being a candidate as Mayor in 2019.”
Current Mayor Jim Strickland says this is all the work of the Memphis City Council, and he’s got nothing to do with it.
Although he certainly has an opinion of Herenton’s claims it’s “deception, conspiracy and fraud.”
“There are no facts to support his opinion,” Mayor Strickland says. “None whatsoever.”
Herenton says he’s running, no doubt about it.
As far as Jim Strickland, the mayor says nothing.
“It’s too early, ” he says.
But read between the lines and tell me this guy isn’t going to be a candidate for re-election.
“I’m not worried about who’s running against me,” Mayor Strickland said. “I’m worried about our team. We will do it on our timeline and I am very proud of the record we have. We will announce sometime after the new year.”
