Next Stop on Trump’s Restoring Law & Order Tour: Memphis

Good afternoon, everyone. Governor Lee steps into the Oval Office to meet with President Trump about sending the National Guard to Memphis… Tennessee media outlets sue the city and state over police "buffer zone" law… Metro Council to weigh in on pay increases, a new Ascend Ampitheather agreement, and party buses… And much more!

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🪖 The Memphis Safe Task Force Tennessee Governor Bill Lee met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office yesterday to discuss the strategic activation of the National Guard in conjunction with a mission to address crime in Memphis. Lee was also present for the signing of a Presidential Memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force and requested the activation of the Tennessee National Guard under Title 32 orders.

In a move that tests the limits of the executive office, the president is hoping to mimic the success of the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful task force, which included the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. “Memphis is suffering from tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively, prompting State and local leaders to request Federal assistance to restore public safety and order,” reads the memorandum.

The document also cited FBI data showing that Memphis had the highest violent crime rate in the country in 2024. Meanwhile, local city and law enforcement officials continue to tout successful crime reduction in the Home of the Blues. When looking at the data, it appears the city is only replacing abysmal statistics with slightly less abysmal statistics. There have been 145 murder victims so far this year—a pace nearing that of 2023, when Memphis reported a record 390 homicides.

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👯‍♀️ What Do Audits, Ascend, & Woo Girls Have In Common? During tonight’s Metro Council meeting, we’re likely to hear robust discussion over a resolution to increase pay and retroactively compensate members of the Metro Board of Equalization. The BOE reviews the appeals of property assessments and currently falls under the purview of the Davidson County Property Assessor's Office—a point of contention among certain council members, including Emily Benedict, who requested an audit of the property assessor.

Though it will likely go undiscussed, a 10-year agreement with Opry Entertainment Group to become the new operator for Ascend Amphitheater is on first reading. If passed, the group has agreed to invest at least $11 million in facility improvements and to fix access to the greenway during events.

“We're also keeping downtown residents in mind by mitigating sound from fully amplified events,” said Mayor O’Connell when announcing the agreement earlier this month. According to the mayor, Opry Entertainment Group has also committed to “three fully amplified civic events and unlimited non-amplified civic events in addition to the annual CMA Fest and July 4th celebrations.”

Lastly, we’ll be learning a bit more about Councilmember Jacob Kupin’s bill that differentiates between regulations set for entertainment transportation vehicles and seated sightseeing vehicles. As downtown’s District 19 council member, Kupin has taken over the position once held by Mayor Freddie O’Connell.

Familiar with the ongoing debates over party buses and having run his mayoral campaign on a platform that disparaged billionaires and bachelorettes, O’Connell weighed in when asked to comment on woo girls during a media roundtable two weeks ago: “I think they comment enough for themselves.”

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📢 Activated Media The Metro Nashville Police Department has instructed officers not to enforce the new state law that allows for a 25-foot buffer zone around law enforcement engaged in police activity. According to the Banner, Metro attorneys wrote that the order to stand down would be in effect while the law is being challenged in court.

Who’s suing over the precaution? Your local media: Tennessee Lookout, Nashville Banner, Gannett (The Tennessean), Gray Local Media (News4 WSMV), Nexstar Media Group (News2 WKRN), Scripps Media (NewsChannel 5), and TEGNA. The media coalition filed the lawsuit in July, naming the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Jeff Long, Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk, and Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake as defendants.

The group is challenging the constitutionality of the Tennessee law, which took effect on July 1. Currently, it is a Class B misdemeanor to intentionally approach a law enforcement officer within 25 feet if they are “engaged in their official duties” and there has been proper warning to stop or retreat.

🖋️ Edited by Megan Podsiedlik.