Kemp's office seeks to block Atlanta mask mandate in court

[Zorro]

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gov. Brian Kemp’s administration went to court Thursday seeking to block Atlanta from enacting coronavirus restrictions and requiring residents to wear masks, setting up a legal showdown between the state and local governments over efforts to contain the disease.

The state filed a lawsuit challenging Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ July 10 decision 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 casts the city’s new mask requirements as “void and unenforceable.”

“This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times,” Kemp said in a statement. “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.”

The legal complaint, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, came one day after Kemp signed a statewide order that explicitly bans cities and counties from enforcing mask mandates. Atlanta and a dozen other cities have adopted such requirements, defying an order from Kemp that encourages but not mandates them.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/kemps-office-files-lawsuit-seeking-to-block-atlanta-mask-mandate/JJQ5DQW2QFE6PN7TTVO2ISNFDQ/

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Georgia's governor is a real piece of work. Suing Atlanta's mayor for enacting mask requirements.

[soothsayer]

1. Have we officially fallen down the rabbit hole?

[secondwind]

2. No words...........

[louzke9]

9. TRY THESE!

"ELECTION TAMPERING"! Disastrous LONG LINES during the GA primary. Now ADD "MASKLESS IDIOTS" to them! Who wants to come out and vote in this fiasco! NO OTHER logical reason other than to DISCOURAGE VOTING!

[bucolic_frolic]

3. unnecessary deaths will evoke fear and economic contraction

of course they're trying to not report cases, admissions, deaths

Clearly that is their plan going to election day ... fake news, invisible death counts, no pandemic, economy's fine!

How low could it go? Invisible holocaust under guise of pandemic? Frightening thought.

[Doodley]

4. He doesn't do it on behalf of businesses as he claims, it is on behalf of Trump who has been wrong

at every step. Businesses don't want America to be the global epicenter of the virus, but that is what has happened because of Trump and his toadies, like Kemp.

[Star-Thrower]

5. It is going to come down to what

Other major companies and businesses that now have mandatory mask wearing, such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, CVS etc. in order to thwart the dumb ass republican govs.

[LiberalFighter]

6. But But But I thought he initiated an EO to void the Mayor's action?

Not knowing the law... I would think the Governor doesn't have standing to act on behalf specifically with those businesses. Are the businesses incapable of challenging it themselves?

Also, does Kemp really care about those businesses and employees?

[Red Mountain]

7. How does requiring a mask

undermine anything?

[louis-t]

8. New GOP campaign slogan: "Trump 2020-Who Cares If Your Kids Die?"

[KG]

10. militant stupidity