MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Things got a little crazy down at the Shelby County Commission Wednesday morning. It all comes after a confrontation between Commissioners Terry Roland and Chris Thomas at a meeting of Collierville Republicans the night before when Roland actually told Thomas, "I'm gonna knock you out of that chair."
And on yet another matter, commissioners ended up voting to officially censure both Roland and Commissioner Mike Ritz.
ABC 24's Mike Matthews was at the meeting watching all of the action, and got into a bit of his own.
These guys are so divided right now, so at each others throats, that they couldn't agree on the sky being blue and the grass being green. And the victims are the taxpayers who pay commissioners to do work, and not to go to war with each other.
The meeting would have ticked off anger management experts; everybody was going at it.
First Brent Taylor was upset because of newspaper articles saying he tried to bribe Commissioners Mike Ritz and Terry Roland. Taylor said he didn't like these accusations being thrown around, and didn't like what he thought was a threat from Roland.
"Are we gonna have disagreements? Certainly. And we should debate them vigorously. But we should do so in a civil manner," Taylor said.
Taylor's plea came less than 24 hours after Roland threatened fellow Commissioner Chris Thomas at a Collierville Republicans meeting. Roland was talking to the group gathered at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant about visiting his father's grave with another commissioner when he abruptly turned his attention to Thomas.
"He came by and got me and put me in the car and we went up to my father's grave… [points to Thomas] and if you say anything I'm gonna knock you out of that chair."
The incident was caught on video by Jackson Baker, political reporter for the Memphis Flyer.Roland apologized, saying Thomas didn't say anything about his father. However, Roland says it wasn't just his fault. He claims Thomas and other commissioners have been following him to public events, heckling him over disagreements on setting up a redistricting plan for the commission.
Several months ago, Commissioner Steve Mulroy claimed Roland physically threatened him. Roland said he was joking.
After Wednesday's meeting Roland exchanged some choice words with ABC 24's 'Bulldog' Mike Matthews. You can watch the raw video in the media player above, or by CLICKING HERE.
