MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the investigation into Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert come to a head Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said he is hopeful that the problems get addressed.
Harris, who’s been fairly quiet during the investigation, commented on the filing of the petition to remove Halbert from office that was filed Monday in Shelby County Circuit Court.
“I’m hopeful that the problems get addressed that’s the number one priority no one wanted to see an ouster per say,” Harris said. “I think everyone’s focused on getting those problems addressed so we just have to see how we’re gonna do that from here on out.”
Issues date back to August 2022 when Halbert closed offices for a week so employees could handle a backlog. It was later found that she was on vacation in Jamaica at that time.
The complaint also estimates that Halbert owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to Shelby County Government.
The 49-page petition outlines dozens of complaints against Clerk Halbert.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy appointed Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp to investigate the clerk’s office. Wamp has been investigating the office for months.
Now, in a move that is not common, DA Wamp is petitioning to remove Clerk Halbert from office.
“The long lines at clerks offices and the inability for people to get their tags on time but we have morphed from that to some serious financial problems,” political commentator Otis Sanford said. “Mismanagement and incorrect bookkeeping just a whole host of financial things that have put the county’s finances in a terrible predicament.”
Shelby County Commissioner Brandon Morrison sent ABC24 this statement:
“Unfortunately, our clerk has struggled to provide services expected of her office, with the result of negatively impacting businesses in our community. It has been a long process. The goal remains to work toward accurate reporting and efficient response time for our citizens and Shelby County. Thank you to DA Wamp for the work on our behalf."
“She has lost the confidence of the public at large,” Sanford said. Sanford also encourages Clerk Halbert to resign from office.
Halbert has a few weeks to provide a response to this petition. In the meantime, a decision will need to be made regarding whether she will be suspended while ouster proceedings are ongoing.