Tennessee defends COVID-19 response to oversight chair

Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday defended Tennessee’s response to the coronavirus pandemic after receiving criticism from a top Democratic congressional leader, arguing that his decisions have been “data driven” despite not adhering entirely to White House recommendations. “Our response has focused on reducing bureaucratic barriers, strengthening private sector partnerships, and finding every opportunity to protect the lives and livelihoods of Tennessee,?” Lee, a Republican, said in a three-page letter to South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn. Clyburn, a Democrat and chairman of the House coronavirus oversight panel, had sent out requests earlier this year to four Republican governors demanding documentation on how their states are combating the pandemic.