Petition against Halbert dismissed; what comes next?
by: Shay Simon
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert is here to stay after a judge dismissed an ouster petition against her on Tuesday.
Questions are now arising concerning what comes next.
Can Halbert open a new office by December and commit to hiring more people, or could more litigation be on the horizon?
Her attorney Darrell O’Neal filed a motion arguing the Hamilton County District Attorney does not have the authority to oust her from office, however, others do.
“The ouster statue, the removal statue, specifically says who can do a removal. Local District Attorney, state Attorney General, County Attorney, City Attorney, 10 individual citizens, the Governor,” said O’Neal.
Commissioner Mick Wright said he is “actively looking at proceedings continuing in different hands.“
Since May, Halbert’s attorney has been fighting for her to keep her job. It is unclear who pays Halbert’s legal fees, but Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris’ office said the county does not foot the bill.
In the meantime, Hamilton County DA Coty Wamp says Halbert has all the resources she needs to do better.
“She has the applications and money all she has to do is hit a button and submit them to county HR,” he said.
We also reached out to Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on if they had plans for any filings. The AG declined to commit, and we have not heard back from DA Steve Mulroy.