Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (far-left D), who is undergoing vetting to run alongside Joe Biden in November, slammed Governor Kemp for his executive order banning mandates to wear face masks. He was concerned about the constitutionality of it and said it is “unenforceable” but made it clear he strongly urges Georgians to wear face coverings. It’s also not simply about face coverings. Bottoms is shutting down Atlanta businesses again.
The State of Georgia continues to urge citizens to wear masks. This lawsuit is about the rule of law. https://t.co/yRSQZYDtgo
— GA AG Chris Carr (@Georgia_AG) July 16, 2020
Bottoms vowed to enforce the Atlanta mask mandate regardless. The mayor also indicated that she wasn’t concerned if the state decided to sue and put her policies under legal scrutiny.
“It’s my belief that the city of Atlanta still has the appropriate standing to mandate masks, especially as it relates to buildings and places that we own and operate,” said Bottoms, later adding that wearing a mask is a “simple” and “easy thing to do,” reports 11Alive.
“I love to quote Audre Lorde,” said Bottoms, in reference to the 20th-century American feminist and writer. “She says, ‘I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.’ I am not afraid of the city being sued and I will put our policies up against anyone’s, any day of the week.”
She’s brave when violating the Constitution. It’s probably above her paygrade.
“We have given very clear, data-driven metrics and advice to businesses in the city of Atlanta, and that advice is very clear: If you want to protect yourself and your customers, you should wear a mask,” continued Bottoms. “I believe that our city mask ordinance, and I believe those across the state, are defensible.”
Anyway, she said she didn’t care if the governor sued her so he did.
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT MASKS
It’s not just over masks. She wants to revert to Phase I.
Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr filed a lawsuit against Atlanta on Thursday afternoon for attempting to enforce stricter coronavirus guidelines than allowed in the governor’s recent executive order.
The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reports that the lawsuit challenges the decision of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) “to revert to ‘phase one’ guidelines that push restaurants to close dining rooms and urge residents to leave home only for essential trips. It also challenges the city’s new mask requirements.”
In a series of tweets, Governor Kemp made it clear he’s doing this on behalf of Atlanta business owners [and many are black business owners]. They’re trying to feed their families and politicians are shuttering businesses and thwarting economic growth.
He said he can’t sit back and “watch as disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens.”
Kemp called the actions of local officials “reckless.”
This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times. (1/4) https://t.co/vxiOmteHaH
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) July 16, 2020
These men and women are doing their very best to put food on the table for their families while local elected officials shutter businesses and undermine economic growth. (2/4)
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) July 16, 2020
Just like sending in the @GeorgiaGuard to protect those living in our capital city from crime and violence, I refuse to sit back and watch as disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens. (3/4)
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) July 16, 2020
We will fight to stop these reckless actions and put people over pandemic politics. (4/4)
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) July 16, 2020
The Savannah mayor is also enraged:
It is officially official. Governor Kemp does not give a damn about us. Every man and woman for himself/herself. Ignore the science and survive the best you can.
In #Savannah, we will continue to keep the faith and follow the science. Masks will continue to be available!
— Mayor Van Johnson (@MayorJohnsonSAV) July 16, 2020
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