Beshear critics vow to work with governor to fight pandemic
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Top Republican lawmakers are promising to work with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to fight COVID-19 after a court ruling cleared the way for new limits on the Democratic governor's emergency powers.
Beshear's allies said they'll be watching to see if the governor's critics follow through.
Kentucky Republicans cheered the state Supreme Court ruling Saturday. The ruling ordered a lower court to dissolve an injunction that for months had blocked the GOP-backed laws. It comes as the highly contagious delta variant drives up coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Kentucky.
The court's decision “signals it is time for the Republican leadership to publicly put forth their plan to protect the commonwealth from this pandemic and the deadly delta variant,” said Rep. Joni Jenkins and Sen. Morgan McGarvey, the top Democrats in the Kentucky House and Senate.
"We know what they don’t support; show us your plan,” they added.
The top legislative Republicans — House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers — said lawmakers are "ready to work with the governor, as we have for nearly a year and a half, and address what is a very real public health crisis.” The GOP holds supermajorities in both chambers, and Republicans accused Beshear of taking a go-it-alone approach in dealing with the pandemic.
“Let us be clear that today’s ruling in no way diminishes the seriousness of this virus or its impact on our commonwealth, and the General Assembly will continue to work to maintain both the safety and rights of all Kentuckians,” Osborne and Stivers said in their joint statement Saturday.
Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who defended the laws in court, urged Beshear to consult with lawmakers and “find consensus on what is needed to protect...
