Brian Kemp announced Thursday he is suing Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over the city's mask mandate, claiming the measure violates his emergency orders. "This lawsuit is on behalf of the Atlanta business owners and their hardworking employees who are struggling to survive during these difficult times," Kemp tweeted. The lawsuit marks a stunning escalation in the brewing feud between Kemp and Bottoms after the Atlanta mayor introduced her mandatory mask ordinance. Under the mayor's order, not wearing a mask within Atlanta's city limits was punishable by a fine and even up to six months in jail. The governor's office had argued that Bottoms' order is not "legally enforceable," pointing to Kemp's executive order limiting local action to being less restrictive than state measures.

Source: CNN July 16, 2020 13:13 UTC