Herenton asserts Wharton ‘blatant liar’, failed as mayor
Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton said during a television interview that outgoing Mayor A C Wharton “failed dismally” in proving to the city he was a capable mayor and “was a blatant liar” on the Deidre Malone contract flap.
Herenton made his comments on WREG-TV’s weekly political panel show, “Informed Sources.” The show, which is typically recorded on Friday afternoons, usually airs Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. but was postponed to Sunday at 10:30 p.m. due to Saturday afternoon’s football game.
But WREG posted the clip on its website.
In it, Herenton had this to say about Wharton, who was defeated in a reelection bid by City Council member Jim Strickland: “A C had ample time to prove to this community that he was capable,” Herenton said. “He failed dismally. In fact, I’ve always considered him to be incompetent. He did not have the managerial skills to lead this city forward, nor did he have the courage of leadership. He basically administered through committees. He avoided difficult issues. Of course, he had to face the pension issue that was staring him right in the face.”
Wharton did not respond to requests for a response. Wharton followed Herenton in the mayor’s office following Herenton’s 2009 resignation. Herenton was the city’s mayor from 1992 to 2009, and while Wharton managed Herenton’s 1999 re-election campaign, the two men have had a fractured relationship.
Herenton said he didn’t believe Wharton’s claims that he was unaware of a private contract between police body camera supplier Taser International and Malone, Wharton’s campaign manager, to perform public relations work for the company.
“In all respect to Mayor Wharton, he was a blatant liar,” Herenton said. “He had to be knowledgeable of that particular contract.”