Sanford: Ford’s guilty plea, arrogant demeanor further tarnish family legacy
Shelby County Commission member Edmund Ford, Jr. (left) talks with fellow commissioner Mick Wright (right) during a meeting on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Otis Sanford
Otis Sanford is a political columnist, author and professor emeritus in Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Memphis.
The Daily Memphian welcomes a diverse range of views from guest columnists about topics of local interest and impact. Columns are subject to editorial review and editing for length and clarity. If you’re interested in having a guest column considered by The Daily Memphian, email Eric Barnes.
Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell is nothing if not compassionate and forgiving.
In our current climate of anger and division, it is difficult to find a political leader who strives to find a ripple of good in a sea of animus, cruelty and despair. Caswell is the exception.
So it was no surprise that Caswell, a longtime pastor and community activist in the North Memphis and Frayser communities, immediately sought to stress the positive after learning that fellow commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. pleaded guilty on Monday, Feb. 2, to federal charges of income tax evasion.
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