JACKSON, Miss.—Family, friends and Ward 2 residents packed into Jackson City Hall on Friday to see Tina Clay officially sworn in as the newest member of the City Council.
Clay fills the seat that was left vacant after former Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee resigned and pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge on Aug. 14.
“We are now—once again—a complete body. We will be working as a united, seven-member group once again,” City Council President Virgi Lindsay said during the standing-room-only ceremony.”
Since then, a grand jury has indicted another councilmember, Aaron Banks of Ward 6, alongside Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens.
@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 320px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 90px;}}
Mississippi District 5 Chancery Court Judge Patricia Wise swore Clay in on Nov. 1 as Clay’s husband, Municipal Judge Henry Clay, stood by her side and held up a bible for her to swear the oath on.
Clay spoke briefly during the ceremony and shared some of her motivation for running for the position.
“When I started this journey, I called about 200 people the day that Ms. Lee resigned and told them that I wanted to be the Ward 2 council person. I will never forget all the reactions,” she said.
“Some were positive. Some were negative. Some said, ‘Why do you want to do it?’ I want you all to know, God led me to think that I can do this. I know that I can do it,” she told the crowd.
Several elected officials, including Mississippi Sen. John Horhn, who launched his third campaign for mayor on Oct. 8, were in attendance to witness the ceremony.
Lumumba, who had not yet been indicted, welcomed her to the office, calling her a friend who is “a highly intelligent, highly capable advocate and one of the most sincere people that I know.”
Clay, who beat opponent Marcus Cheatum during an Oct. 22 run-off election, will serve out the remainder of Lee’s term which was set to end next year.
To keep the
Read original article by clicking here.