Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms have discussed settling the lawsuit he has filed against her.
Bottoms told The Tonight Show that she and Kemp have had some productive talks of late.
“We discussed where we disagree and hopefully we can figure out how to agree to disagree without having to play this out in court. At the end of the day, we want the same thing: We want people to be safe. We want to stop the spread of COVID-19,” she said on the show.
Things got heated between two of Georgia’s most high-profile political leaders when Bottoms tweeted Sunday that Kemp had as for an emergency injunction to “restrain” her from speaking to the media.
Bottoms’ national profile has risen dramatically over the last three months as she has appeared on big TV news shows repeatedly amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition to being sued over a mask mandate and voluntary advisory guidelines on COVID-19, Governor Kemp has asked for an emergency injunction to ‘restrain’ me from issuing press statements and speaking to the press. Far more have sacrificed too much more for me to be silent,” she tweeted.
The move comes one week after Kemp filed a lawsuit against Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council related to their mandate requiring residents and visitors to the city to wear masks.
Meanwhile the city of Atlanta has rolled back to Phase 1 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, according to an order issued by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
The mayor is doing what she can to stem the rise of coronavirus in the city despite a hostile reception from the governor and others outside the state’s largest city.
Phase 1 is the initial plan issued by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in conjunction with the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
For individuals, it means they must:
- Stay at home except for essential trips
- Wear masks or face coverings in public
- Wash your hands frequently
- Practice social distancing
For Businesses, here’s what Phase 1 means:
- To-go and delivery orders only for restaurants
- Teleworking for employees that are able
- Frequent cleaning of public places and spaces
For City Government, Phase 1 means:
- Closure of all non-essential city facilities
- Moratorium on special event applications
In response to Atlanta’s actions, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted that the new rules were just “guidance.”
“Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms’ action today is merely guidance – both non-binding and legally unenforceable. As clearly stated in my executive orders, no local action can be more or less restrictive, and that rule applies statewide,” Kemp tweeted.
“If the Mayor actually wants to flatten the curve in Atlanta, she should start enforcing state restrictions, which she has failed to do.
We ask citizens and businesses alike to comply with the terms of Executive Order 06.29.20.02, which was crafted in conjunction with state public health officials. These common-sense measures will help protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians,” Kemp went on to say.
The development comes days after Bottoms tested positive for coronavirus, along with some members of her family.
At the time, she also instituted a public mask policy for Atlanta residents and visitors.
“We will continue to take active measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 infections in Atlanta,” said Mayor Bottoms said in a press release. “Public health experts overwhelmingly agree that wearing a face covering helps slow the spread of this sometimes deadly virus.”
Meanwhile, Georgia officials are being accused of messing with the COVID-19 numbers to make it look like the cases aren’t rising exponentially.
Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency. More definitive advice on health, please visit CDC.gov. Here are some helpful links: