District Attorney General Amy Weirich announced Monday that the the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference has appointed AG Robert Carter of the 17th Judicial District to lead an investigation into possible conflicts of interest on the part of Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr.
According to published accounts in The Commercial Appeal, Ford was instrumental in ensuring that Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South Inc. received a county grant of $450,000, then arranged a sale to the nonprofit of computers from a business he operates.
A subsequent investigation of the circumstances by Bryan Faughnan, an independent counsel hired by the county, found the combination of transactions to be “not just negligent but intentional,” and suggested that the county refer the matter to the County Ethics Commission. For her part, DA Weirich says she requested an outside official to conduct an investigation of the matter so as “to avoid any appearance of impropriety as we receive funding from the County Commission.”
