Will a Davidson County judge agree that neither the Tennessee Constitution nor the General Assembly has granted Gov. Bill Lee the authority to legally deploy the National Guard to Memphis? And what would it even mean if Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal rules against him?
The phrase “constitutional crisis” has been tossed around so often in recent years that it risks losing its meaning. But here, it applies. If Moskal orders the troops removed, the ruling would rely on Gov. Lee himself — the man accused of breaking the law — to carry it out.
The legal drama is officially underway now, as Moskal heard opposing takes in court on Monday, Nov. 3, about the governor’s authority to call the Guard to Memphis…