Atlanta Mayor, GA Governor, Ordered Into Mediation Over Masks

ATLANTA, GA — A Fulton County judge has ordered Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms into mediation before a hearing next week over a lawsuit by the governor.

Kemp’s office sued Lance Bottoms and Atlanta’s city council last week over Atlanta's mandate to wear a mask , declaring it “void and unenforceable.” Kemp and Bottoms had been prepared to meet in court Tuesday until two judges recused themselves from the proceedings.

Fulton County Superior Court Senior Judge Cynthia D. Wright ordered the parties to negotiate an agreement in good faith prior to a court hearing scheduled for July 28.

Lance Bottoms said Wednesday night that she and Gov. Brian Kemp may yet “agree to disagree” and avoid a court fight over the city’s mask mandate.

Speaking on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she said she had a “very good conversation with the governor” just before air time.

“We discussed where we disagree, and hopefully we can figure out a way to agree to disagree without having to play this out in court,” Lance Bottoms said to Fallon. “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 each other.”

“I love that. I love that you told me that,” Fallon said. “That’s so great."

The interview in its entirety is below.

Kemp’s office confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that their talk was “productive” but didn’t elaborate.

A possible truce would follow a week of public bickering between Kemp and Lance Bottoms over whether Atlanta could mandate masks while Georgia didn't.

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