DOES LONG AND HIS HANDLER KNOW WHAT OFFICE HE'S RUNNING FOR?

The Sidney Chism Annual Picnic brings out every elected poli-trick-an, wanna-be poli-trick-an,and political power brokers and wanna- be power broker. But absent at Saturday's event was City Court Clerk Thomas Long. Long announced several weeks ago that he plans to give up $15,000 a year in reduction in pay to attempt to become the Shelby County Clerk.

But present was his handler and political guru Greg Grant the local head of Al Sharpton's National Action Network,and one who prints his own political ballot for every election to the highest bidder.

Whatever Long is paying Grant he might seek a refund since Grant posted "RE-ELECT THOMAS LONG TO CITY COURT CLERK". either Long who is holding weekly bid whiz card games at Classic Hits on Brooks road to raise campaign funds can't afford new signs stating what he plans to run for next year, or Grant and long is attempting to play the voters stupid.

Could Grant and Long's plan be to make some in the Black community who are not versed on who holds what office think that Long is already the SHELBY COUNTY CLERK thus telling the voters to return him to a office he has never held.

Grant is well known in political circles for his trickery and deceit. Last year a group of democrats fed up with the non leadership of Keith Norman and the inactiveness of the Shelby County Democratic party formed a new organization to interview candidates to present to the public based on their merit. Ballots were going to printed to support the chosen candidates based solely on who would best serve the community. But Grant went and cut side deals charging some candidates as mush as $5,000 to be on the ballot. The organization shattered after many in the group found out about what Grant had done.

Some feel that Long does not have a chance in winning the Shelby County Clerk's race and wonder why he is paying Grant to handle him. Not only is Grant felt to be a political hustler of desperate candidates but also defrauded the Memphis Health Center.

At the center of the Memphis Health controversy was its Chairman of the Board, Gregory Grant. Grant, through a corporation named Magnolia Transportation, was engaged in the business of providing medical transport services that were reimbursed by various payors, including state agencies funded by the federal government.

In a separate case brought under the federal False Claims Act, the federal government accused Grant of filing thousands of false claims for reimbursement. In addition to failing to maintain insurance for his vehicles as required for payment, Grant was accused of billing and collecting for patient transports not actually made. The federal government prevailed in the case, and won a civil judgment against Grant, including actual damages, treble damages and civil fines, totaling almost $6,000,000.

The federal case against Grant occurred during a period of internal strife at Memphis Health. Grant and several other board members were accused by the center's CEO of interfering with the center's day-to-day operations, signing unauthorized contracts, and improper handling of funds and records.

In wondering why Thomas Long wants give up his $123,000 a year job as City of Memphis court Clerk and become the Shelby County Clerk which pays $107,000 some at the picnic suggested that the county clerk has more appointed positions and that Long wants to pass out political favors in the form of jobs while retiring from his city position and collecting a pension. It was also suggested that Long if by chance was elected would give Grant a high paying job.

While Long is having card games to raise money to run for office he needs to realize that his hold card has been peeped and the public knows that he has the Joker in his deck. And does Long really think that White voters will vote for him when he's being handled by a Al Sharpton appointee.