The Republican Party of Shelby County called for the resignation of General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer after police body-worn camera video was released, appearing to show Sawyer engaged in a profane and racially motivated rant against law enforcement.
In a press release posted to X on Thursday, the party wrote that it “unequivocally condemns the racist attacks” by the clerk, which the party noted were directed at members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Video posted to social media by State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) appears to show Sawyer engaged in a profane argument with police after a person accompanying her into the courthouse, whom she described as security, was stopped from entering the building with a firearm.
Within the footage, Sawyer appeared to claim she needed the armed security because of threats she received from racist police officers.
“I’m just going to say this one more time, watch who you’re talking to.”
“You want to walk a mile in my shoes? Like, your bros are the ones threatening my life. You want to see what your white supremacist ass friends are saying to me? Talking about killing me dead on the street? You know why I have security, because I’m the one getting threatened,” said Sawyer.
BREAKING: DISGRACEFUL MELTDOWN BY CLERK TAMI SAWYER—SCREAMING RACIAL EPITHETS AT LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO WERE JUST DOING THEIR JOBS. How can someone like this run a court?!
After General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer allegedly attempted to facilitate getting a firearm into the… pic.twitter.com/l6NrJkh54K
— Senator Brent Taylor (@SenBrentTaylor) October 9, 2025
The video showed Sawyer later leaving the courthouse to demand the badge number of a deputy who was white.
“What’s his badge number so I can make sure I do a full report?” Sawyer said in reply to the officer’s inaudible response, “You’re a racist and you’re a son of a b****.”
The Shelby County Republicans described the conduct depicted in the video as a “disqualifying” part of a larger pattern of behavior.
“Her disqualifying actions, rooted in a history of anti-police rhetoric, erode public trust in our institutions and endanger the men and women who risk their lives daily to protect our communities,” said the party. “As an elected official sworn to uphold justice, Sawyer’s behavior is not only unbecoming but a direct assault on the rule of law in Shelby County.”
The Republicans wrote, “The Republican party of Shelby County calls for Tami Sawyer’s immediate resignation as General Sessions Clerk and for condemnation of her actions by all responsible leaders.”
🚨 THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF SHELBY COUNTY CALLS FOR GENERAL SESSIONS
COURT CLERK TAMI SAWYER TO RESIGN AFTER HER HATEFUL ANTI-POLICE
COMMENTS AND RACIST RHETORIC DIRECTED TOWARD SHELBY COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES pic.twitter.com/gkH9Af4LcY— Shelby County GOP (@GOPShelby) October 9, 2025
After the video surfaced, Sawyer defended her behavior as that of a “Memphis girl” with “passion,” during an interview with Action News 5. She additionally claimed the security was necessary after she received threats via email.
Taylor described the interview as a “charm offensive” on Friday, when he reposted several of her earlier posts to social media.
Don’t be fooled by Tami Sawyer’s charm offensive. As she makes the rounds following her disgraceful behavior, her claim that she only lashed out at the sheriff's deputies because she was under such stress is a lie. You can tell from her past tweets that she has always held… pic.twitter.com/0et3fQOIAS
— Senator Brent Taylor (@SenBrentTaylor) October 10, 2025
“You can tell from her past tweets that she has always held animosity toward our law enforcement,” wrote Taylor. “Having Tami Sawyer as the head of General Sessions Court Clerks office is like inviting a flat-earther to give a presentation at a world geography summit.”
Sawyer previously ran for Shelby County Commission in 2018, when she was described as a leader in the Black Lives Matter movement, and was active in the #TakeEmDown901 effort to destroy or remove historic statues and monuments in Memphis and the surrounding area.
Elected last year, Sawyer assumed office in September 2024. Her term in office will not expire until 2032.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Time for another removal. Past time..
covered in dignity wearing the standard sweat suit in public; who knows what havoc she had in mind for inside the courthouse, given her hatred for those who guard the place?
Why do so many people of color fall for the liberal clap trap about white people all being racists? This kind of thoughtless behavior is a bad look.