Atlanta Mayor Responds To Governor Kemp’s Harsh Criticism Live on CNN: ‘A Blatant Lie’
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s claims she’s shuttering businesses and undermining “economic growth” a “blatant lie” on CNN after it was revealed that Kemp is suing Bottoms to stop a public face mask mandate in the city.
Kemp sued Bottoms on Thursday after the mayor attempted to order mandatory face masks in public places amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Kemp argued the mandate undermines his own executive orders and claimed the lawsuit “is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times.”
On Friday morning, Bottoms told CNN she believes the lawsuit is retaliation from Kemp after she claimed President Donald Trump broke the law by not wearing a mask at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport during a visit just one day prior.
“I do believe it’s personal retaliation, and he sued us personally. He did not sue the city of Atlanta. He filed suit against myself and our city council personally,” declared Bottoms, adding, “This was one day after the president’s visit to our city and, again, it is a complete waste of time and money to file suit against the capital city of this state in which he is supposed to lead.”
In response to a speech in which Kemp said that Mayor Bottoms’ mask mandate “cannot be enforced, but her decision to shutter businesses and undermine economic growth is devastating,” Bottoms called the words “propaganda.”
“It is completely inaccurate. The city of Atlanta convened an advisory committee to issue voluntary recommendations for how we move forward in various phases as it relates to this virus,” she claimed. “For him to say that we are closing businesses in the city of Atlanta and costing people money is a blatant lie.”
“These are voluntary recommendations, we’ve not closed any businesses, and it’s unfortunate that in the midst of this pandemic that the governor of our state who didn’t know that this virus could be spread by asymptomatic means is continuing to spread misinformation,” Bottoms concluded.
Watch above via CNN.
