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The @ajc today published a letter to the editor by @GovKemp calling the newspaper a “tabloid rag” because of our coverage of his response to the pandemic, which has been criticized by public health experts and President Trump’s advisers. #gapol https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-gov-kemp-ajc-needs-to-be-part-of-the-solution-not-the-problem/5MBOQZDHXJBGVFGGGW46TCL3K4/
We’re proud of the enormous effort we’ve put in to cover the pandemic, which has documented the results of state policies and given voice to experts & others. As @ajceditor told us, we decided to publish this because it contributes to Georgians’ understanding of his approach.
The letter was triggered, in part, after we obtained and published the latest White House coronavirus task force report this week, which again urged the state to take stronger action to mitigate the spread of the disease. #gapol https://www.ajc.com/news/white-house-says-georgia-now-leads-nation-in-rate-of-new-virus-cases/GXLTMDVSWJGO3EVVFAR7EJT7CA/
After that report, @GovKemp lashed out in a testy press conference, accusing the @ajc of sparking panic. “I will tell you that the media only focuses on the bad numbers. They never focus on the good numbers.” Here’s that story #gapol https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/kemp-lashes-out-after-white-house-coronavirus-report-criticizes-georgias-response/JZLGAGA57BEKTEZJNKFOJIALR4/
In the same piece, @ajceditor noted that the piece included details about the recent decline in new cases, hospitalizations and new test cases. “Attacking factual news reports won’t change the course of this pandemic in Georgia.” #gapol https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/kemp-lashes-out-after-white-house-coronavirus-report-criticizes-georgias-response/JZLGAGA57BEKTEZJNKFOJIALR4/
In today’s letter, Kemp also urged local authorities to enforce state coronavirus guidelines and defended his decision not to order a statewide mask mandate. He does not challenge the accuracy or veracity of our reporting, which we stand by. #gapol https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-gov-kemp-ajc-needs-to-be-part-of-the-solution-not-the-problem/5MBOQZDHXJBGVFGGGW46TCL3K4/
