Democrats Say Tennessee’s Governor Is Risking Lives In Lifting COVID Restrictions

The state Democratic Caucus says Gov. Bill Lee is putting lives at risk by lifting the “Safer-at-Home” order for most of Tennessee.

State Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, said while cases of COVID-19 have lessened in recent days, this is not time to ease restrictions.

“It’s like basically we’re putting out the fire, but there is still an ember going at this moment,” Dixie said at a press conference. “And if we do not put this fire out completely, it will flare out of control.”

However, Lee’s decision to lift the stay-home directive in 89 counties on May 1 isn’t that different than what Nashville Mayor John Cooper alluded to in his daily briefing on Tuesday. The mayor said Nashville is hoping to enter an initial phase of easing restrictions in the first week of May.

The Democrats did not criticize the decision of Cooper, a Democrat.

“Instead of listening to those experts and looking at that data, the Governor appears to be making a decision based on his own self-interests of his political livelihood rather than the lives of Tennesseans,” Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said.

Across the state, Tennesseans have held #FreeTN rallies to protest the Safer At Home Executive Orders. Asking Gov. Lee to end the statewide shutdown and make social distancing a guideline rather than a command.