Statement from Sen. Berger on Gov. Cooper’s Phase 2 Announcement

Raleigh, N.C. — Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) today released the following statement:

“I’m glad the Governor has responded to the calls of senators, small business owners, and unemployed workers to let them get back to work.

“When I asked Gov. Cooper to reopen restaurants and personal care services last week, the Governor said it wasn’t safe to do so. But according to data for yesterday, when the Governor began notifying people of his decision, North Carolina had more cases, more hospitalizations, and fewer tests performed than when I issued my call last week.

“It seems strange that it was unsafe to reopen last week, but it’s safe to reopen now with worse numbers. This gets back to the central question of what strategy is driving the Governor’s actions. What goal does he think is achievable?

“Unfortunately, Gov. Cooper has hidden behind pre-screened virtual press briefings for the entirety of this emergency, making public accountability nearly impossible.”