Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp filed a lawsuit on July 16 against the Atlanta city council and Democrat Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in an effort to block her from enforcing a citywide mask mandate.
The lawsuit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, argues that Kemp “leads the State of Georgia in its fight against the worldwide novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic” and has the power “to suspend municipal orders that are contradictory to any state law or to his executive orders.”
“As the Mayor of the City of Atlanta, Mayor Bottoms does not have the legal authority to modify, change or ignore Governor Kemp’s executive orders,” the document says.
In the new executive order, the Republican governor said that any laws, orders, rules, or regulations requiring people to wear face coverings in public “are suspended.” Georgia residents are “strongly encouraged,” but not required, to wear face coverings while outside their homes.
“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. We will fight to stop these reckless actions and put people over pandemic politics,” the governor added.
“3,104 Georgians have died and I and my family are amongst the 106k who have tested positive for COVID-19,” she wrote. “Meanwhile, I have been sued by @GovKemp for a mask mandate.”
She added, “A better use of taxpayer money would be to expand testing and contact tracing. #ATLStrong,” in reference to the website that serves as a COVID-19 resource hub for Atlanta residents.