Image Credit: Senator Brent Taylor / Facebook & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Memphis Senator Brent Taylor (R-District 31) says defunding local law enforcement likely contributed to worsened crime in the area.
On Tuesday night, Taylor directly called Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris out for this decision on conservative host Todd Starnes’ Newsmax show.
“I confronted Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris by highlighting that his decision to defund the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office through salary restrictions likely contributed to our need for National Guard support,” Taylor wrote on X later that evening. “The disconnect from Democrats on Memphis’s crime crisis is striking—they demand more resources but oppose assistance when the Trump Administration delivers aid from multiple agencies to tackle our crime challenge.”
On the Tuesday night broadcast, both Senator Taylor and Mayor Harris joined Todd Starnes for a discussion about the recent National Guard deployment to Memphis.
When Starnes asked Harris about his “conspicuous absence” at the Oval Office the day prior, Harris explained that he did not receive an invitation.
“No, I wasn’t invited there,” said Harris. “But I was invited on your show. I’ve been listening to you for many years and although I [may not] agree with you, I’m still honored to be here. But no, no invitation to the White House yet.”
The Shelby County mayor also expanded on his previous claim that the National Guard deployment was “anti-American” saying that he didn’t believe the action was constitutional.
“It’s not consistent with my view of that democratic tradition, to have armored vehicles in an American city, checkpoints, folks with semi-automatic weapons, and military fatigues marching around,” said Harris. “That feels anti-American to me.”
However, Taylor argues that his constituents aren’t as worried about the military presence as they are about high crime in the place they call home.
“What’s more concerning to me than the National Guard having automatic or semi-automatic weapons, are the criminals who are actually on the streets with semi-automatic and automatic weapons,” Taylor responded. “That’s what concerns me. And quite frankly, with all due respect to my friend Mayor Harris, perhaps the National Guard wouldn’t have had to be here if Mayor Harris hadn’t defunded the police.”
Harris explained that in his view, the deployment isn’t necessary and that the crime problem in Memphis can be traced back largely to constitutional carry law and access to guns.
“I don’t think any of us who are officials, whether you’re in the Tennessee Senate or if you’re Bill Lee, should want that on our legacy. That we invited federal officials to deploy military personnel to our state,” Harris stated.
“I think the way to view this is that the National Guard is coming in to protect the rights of Memphians,” said Taylor. “This isn’t a military occupation. This is an investment.”
President Donald J. Trump officially announced last Friday that he would be working with Tennessee officials and deploying the National Guard to the city of Memphis in efforts to combat crime, after publicly stating that he would “think about” doing so back in August.
“We’re going to Memphis,” Trump said. “Memphis is deeply troubled, and the mayor is happy, he’s a Democrat mayor, and the Governor of Tennessee [is happy]. Deeply troubled. We’re going to fix that just like we did Washington.”
According to Trump, this decision was fueled by failed Democrat leadership of the West Tennessee city and recent data showing Memphis to be the most violent city in the country.
Taylor has since stated that he is grateful for President Trump’s support in “making Memphis matter” as well as U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) “tireless” advocacy for FBI and other resources to address crime in Memphis.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
2 Responses
We seem to have too many people with no brains trying to run our country for the past several years. Are they surprised that by defunding police departments, the criminals will become bolder? This is like other states doing away with the bail/bond system and just releasing them back into the neighborhood to commit more crime. Then telling the police not to arrest and not to make reports. They think this will fool the State and Federal Governments into thinking crime has decreased. Deception is their middle name. Did they ever think maybe people don’t like to be victims and will report the true picture?
John Adams is famously quoted as saying, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other”. Lucifer’s accursed dimmercraps are the “any other”.