Expand / Collapse search
☰

Mayor Bottoms has 'very good conversation' with Gov. Kemp, hopes to reach compromise

Updated  July 23, 2020 11:28am EDT
Coronavirus in Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms hinted that a possible compromise could be on the horizon regarding a recent legal dispute between her and Gov. Brian Kemp.

Mayor Bottoms appeared on "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon" Wednesday and said she and the governor had a "very good conversation."

Gov. Kemp filed a lawsuit against Atlanta's measure mandating masks in public and other COVID-19 restrictions, and a hearing has been set for next week.

In a press release, Fulton County officials say that the hearing will take place Tuesday, July 28 at 10 a.m. in the Fulton County Courthouse. 

The mayor went on to say that she and the governor have the same goal of keeping citizens as safe as possible and reducing the spread of the coronavirus. 

"But 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 and it certainly doesn't help when we're having to fight one another," Bottoms said.

Judges recuse from case between governor and mayor

Two judges have recused themselves from a case where Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for violated his executive order.

In a statement released Thursday morning to FOX 5, Gov. Kemp's office says the conversation with Mayor Bottoms was "productive."

"Phase One in Atlanta, the Governor filed a lawsuit to prevent businesses from being shut down without justification and protect the livelihoods of law-abiding Georgians in Atlanta," the statement reads. "Yesterday, the Mayor asked the Governor to discuss a potential settlement. Their conversation was productive. We have no further comment at this time.”