Illegal Annexation 30

Last week was another hearing on Lenoir City's two illegal annexations. This hearing was held at the request of Lenoir City's defense attorney, T Scott Jones. He was requesting to be allowed to file an interlocutory appeal. What that means, he thinks the judge was wrong to deny Lenoir City's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Essentially, Jones is saying, sorry Judge Pemberton, you got it wrong and I want to appeal your decision even before the matter gets to court. The judge has the right to permit or not to permit the appeal at this point in the case. The hope by the Lenoir city attorney is to cause more delay in the case. Next month, it will be two years since the county filed the lawsuit of mayor Aikens and the council's illegal actions.

The judge did grant Jones' request but did not change the date of the trial. Currently, the lawsuit will be held on June 24th. Just listening to the judge and attorneys discussing the matter, no one seemed to believe the Tennessee Court of Appeals would consider Jones' appeal. So the trial stays on schedule.

A short review, in 2020, the city committed the first illegal annexation. Apparently, feeling they got away with it once, they committed a second illegal annexation in 2022. Both annexations were clear violations of state law. The county tried every way possible to avoid any litigation, but Aikens wouldn't hear it. He is more than happy to spend as much county and city tax payer money as he can to try to cover his illegal actions.

The real question is why? He knows better than anybody that both annexations were illegal. He knows, no matter how long they delay the inevitable, the city will lose the lawsuit. Yet, here we are.

What a waste of everyone's money just to try to cover the mayor's illegal actions. 

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1/20/25