Smith County considering deducting pay for County Clerk

TYLER – The Smith County Commissioner’s Court is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to our news partner KETK, to consider whether they should deduct County Clerk Karen Phillips’ salary during her recent jail sentence. Karen Phillips, 67 of Smith County, was found guilty of interfering with public duties on May 9, 2024 but later relinquished her sentence of a year’s probation and was sentenced to 30 days in Smith County Jail.

Phillips was booked into the Smith County Jail on Aug. 29 and was later released after nine days in jail on Sept. 6, according to Smith County Jail records. She was originally arrested for interfering with public duties after a March 2023 traffic stop which also led to the arrest of her son.

Smith County commissioners will vote on Tuesday on whether or not Phillips will be paid for those days she was in jail. Phillips responded to the commissioners’ potential vote by filling a public information request with the county.

Phillips requested payment records of several Smith County elected officials who she claimed have been criminally charged in the past. Phillips’ request is her attempt to figure out if any other Smith County officials have ever had their pay deducted or criminal charges.

“In my 14 years of attending Commissioner’s Court as County Clerk, I do not recall ever seeing an agenda item similar to the one scheduled for tomorrow, 9/16/2025,” Phillips wrote in her request. “To my knowledge, no Commissioner’s Court agenda has ever specifically listed the name of an elected official in connection with a potential salary reduction. More specifically, my name has been placed on tomorrow’s agenda with the stated purpose of potentially reducing my salary due to a criminal charge brought against me.”

Tuesday’s meeting of the Smith County Commissioner’s Court will be held at 9:30 a.m. on the first floor of the Smith County Courthouse Annex at 200 E. Ferguson St. in Tyler.