The Shelby County Attorney's Office has filed a motion for default judgement against Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert, seeking to have her removed from office immediately, the Commercial Appeal reports. The motion, filed Friday, argues that Halbert did not file an answer to the original ouster petition in time. She did, however, file a motion to dismiss the ouster on Aug. 26. The government's latest motion argues that the dismissal motion did not qualify as an answer. The next hearing in the case is set for Sept. 13.

Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP) chair Hendrell Remus will not seek another term when party leadership elections happen in January. The Nashville Banner reports that Remus was elected in 2021 as the first Black chair of the TNDP and reelected in 2023. In his two terms, he says he focused on making the party function as “a political operation, not a social club” and has sought more than short-term wins. Remus told the news outlet that the final test of whether his tenure was effective would be this year’s general election when the party aims to exceed the Democratic voter turnout seen during the 2020 presidential election and flip at least two state house seats.

The Tennessee Republican Party has postponed Oak Ridge Rep. John Ragan’s request to challenge his August primary loss to former Clinton police chief Rick Scarbrough, reports the Tennessee Lookout. A special-called meeting is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 7 and may take place virtually, pending approval from the Tennessee comptroller and secretary of state and despite Ragan's opposition to the "validity" of decisions made during virtual meetings. Ragan lost his Aug. 1 primary race to Scarbrough by 258 votes and days later alleged that Democrats cast "crossover" votes in the Republican primary with the purpose of defeating him.

Several state leaders are threatening to withhold state sales tax revenue from Memphis and Shelby County if local officials proceed with a ballot referendum addressing gun-related issues, the Commercial Appeal reports. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, issued a joint statement that the localities would pay a heavy financial penalty if the ballot measure goes through. Memphis is preparing to vote on measures that would impose stricter gun control within the city, which contradict state laws aimed at easing gun access and preventing local "red flag" laws, the article reports. In related news, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett says his office will not approve the Nov. 5 ballot for Shelby County if it includes a city referendum on gun-control measures, setting up a potential legal showdown with the Memphis City Council. The Daily Memphian has that story.

State Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson are scheduled to speak on the main stage at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, shortly before scheduled remarks from Vice President Kamala Harris, reports the Tennessean. Christened the "Tennessee Three" after state lawmakers expelled Jones and Pearson from the chamber during a gun control debate, the group will speak on gun violence in America. "Last year we were expelled for fighting for common sense gun laws, and the next day Vice President Kamala Harris came to Tennessee, sat in solidarity with us in our fight for democracy, in our fight to protect kids, not guns. That's why I'm here," Jones said.

Oak Ridge Rep. John Ragan has officially challenged his loss to Rick Scarbrough, alleging that more than 1,000 Anderson County voters were illegitimate Republicans who crossed over to cast a ballot in a race he lost by 258 votes, The Tennesean reports. Ragan argues that state law makes it illegal to vote in a political party's primary without being a "bona fide" member of or affiliated with the political party. He says his challenge is based on the Republican Party's bylaws, which have created bona fide definitions for candidates. Scarbrough sent a letter to his future House colleagues asking lawmakers to encourage members of the state Republican Executive Committee not to allow the contest to go forward, saying he is confident in the election results.

Gov. Bill Lee has approved hiring Gilbert Dickey, a former associate White House counsel during the Trump administration, to represent state officials in a legal dispute over a mailing campaign that demanded proof of U.S. citizenship from voters. The campaign, which involved sending 14,375 letters, has been criticized as voter intimidation and potentially illegal, prompting the American Civil Liberties Union to threaten a lawsuit. Dickey, now a partner at Consovoy McCarthy, will be paid $450 per hour for his services, The Tennessean reports.

Citizens United and 16 state political parties — including the Tennessee Republican Party — on Thursday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) accusing Vice President Kamala Harris of improperly assuming control of Biden campaign funds after he withdrew from the presidential race. The Tennessee Lookout reports that the complaint is asking the FEC’s six-person commission — split evenly between Democrats and Republicans — to “immediately initiate enforcement proceedings to prevent Harris from using her ill-gotten gains for her campaign in the little time remaining between now and the November general election.” A Harris campaign spokesperson said in a statement that the complaint had no merit; the FEC declined to comment.

A Tennessee Registry of Election Finance board member is criticizing the Attorney General’s Office over its investigation of two political groups, challenging the veracity of its report and raising questions about possible bias. According to the Tennessee Lookout, registry board member Tom Lawless says the attorney general’s office “did not do even a remotely close to thorough investigation. They just went through the motions.” He plans to call leaders from the Tennessee Constitutional Republicans and the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans to come before the board and explain how they are operating without registering with the state as political action committees. Lawless previously complained about the time it took the attorney general’s office to conduct the investigation.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee touted school choice and the unity of Republican governors during a speech Tuesday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Lee has made school choice a priority for his administration and this week called it the “civil rights issue of our time.” Lee was the second Republican elected official from Tennessee to speak. On Monday, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee spoke twice during the opening day of the convention: once to present the party platform and again to address delegates. The Tennessean has more, including Lee's full remarks.