Georgia Governor Sues Atlanta Mayor Over Mask Mandate

Georgia governor Brian Kemp is suing Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over her mask mandate.
The governor says the lawsuit is on behalf of Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees. He says the mayor’s mandate is a violation of his emergency order and will hurt businesses that are already struggling to stay open. The lawsuit asks a judge to declare that the mayor exceeded her authority and cannot enforce the local mask rules. The mayor has since fired back on twitter saying that a better use of taxpayer money would be to “expand testing and contact tracing.” Mayor Bottoms has said that she and her family members are among the 106-thousand Georgians who have tested positive for covid-19. The Atlanta mayor’s office says her mask mandate currently remains in effect despite the executive order. Governor Kemp says he strongly encourages people to wear them, but he won’t require it. Kemp did extend the measure that recommends people socially distance, and that people with health problems stay home, if possible. The governor has faced criticism for his handling of the state’s coronavirus response as he was among the last governors to sign a shelter-in-place order and first to reopen businesses.