Is Memphis crime a grave emergency? Tennessee court mulls legality of National Guard
Memphis Safe Task Force began patrolling the city in October 2025. (George Walker IV/AP file)
NASHVILLE — After months of legal limbo, the State of Tennessee and several Memphis Democratic elected officials squared off Thursday, March 5, over the legality of the Tennessee National Guard’s deployment in Memphis.
Lawyers for the state tangled with those representing Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and several local legislators over whether Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee legally deployed the guard to Memphis.
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Samuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise reporter who focuses on government and politics. He began his career at the Tulsa World where he covered business and K-12 education. Hardiman came to Memphis in 2018 to join the Memphis Business Journal, covering government and economic development. He then served as the Commercial Appeal’s city hall reporter and later joined The Daily Memphian in 2023. His current work focuses on the intersection of government, public policy, influence and how public dollars are spent.
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