Joe Ford named Shelby County mayor
By Tom Baxter
Southern Political Report
November 18, 2009 — Another member of the Ford political dynasty is taking a leadership position in the Memphis area. After more than a week of intense wrangling, the Shelby County Commission Tuesday night named Joe Ford interim mayor of the county. Ford is the brother of former US Rep. Harold Ford Sr. and uncle of former US Rep. Harold Ford Jr. Ford promised he would retire from politics after serving out the term of AC Wharton, who resigned in October to be mayor of Memphis. But his term, which runs until next September, could be eventful. He told the commission he will consider changing the board at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, and plans to set up special task forces to address the county's financial problems. The commission deadlocked when it tried to pick an interim mayor last week, but two commissioners shifted to Ford at Tuesday's meeting. Harold Ford Sr. reportedly lobbied heavily on his brother's behalf. -- South Carolina's State Ethics Commission could rule as early as today on whether there is sufficient evidence to try Gov. Mark Sanford for violating state ethics laws regarding his travels and campaign expenses. The finding could determine whether lawmakers move forward with a resolution to impeach Sanford, which was filed by Republican legislators Tuesday. --Former Vice President Dick Cheney called US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison a "true conservative champion" at a campaign appearance in Houston. Hutchison is hoping Cheney's support will be a springboard in her gubernatorial primary campaign against Gov. Rick Perry, who leads her by double digits in recent polls. -- The US Department of Agriculture has designated 79 of Mississippi's 82 counties disaster areas due to heavy spring and fall rains and a summer drought. Crop losses have been estimated at nearly $460 million. |
