FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — On Wednesday, more than 100 people came to the capitol to protest Gov. Andy Beshear's continued decision to keep "non-essential" businesses closed.
One of the organizers was a Bevin supporter who made news last November. She is Erika Calihan of Lexington who chanted, "We want to work" at yesterday's protest.
During Beshear's 5 p.m. news conference on Wednesday, you could hear protesters in the background. Calihan, who says she is a business owner, declined to name her company. In an interview outside the capitol she told reporters, "Good grief, we spent years building our companies, we can certainly do this."
Calihan and others believe Beshear's orders to enforce social-distancing go too far. Some called him a "king" and tyrant." Calihan made news last November claiming unfounded voter fraud when Beshear beat republican incumbent Matt Bevin. She formed a group called, Citizens for Election Integrity and press conferences at the capitol.
Calihan is back in Frankfort again to pressure Beshear to re-open Kentucky businesses shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think that in a typical quarantine situation, you quarantine the sick, you quarantine the elderly, you quarantine the immuno-compromised, you don't quarantine the healthy people," Calihan explained.
As of Wednesday, it didn't appear Gov. Beshear would follow the protesters' wishes.
"We do have some people who think we should immediately re-open Kentucky. Folks that would kill people, it would absolutely kill people," Beshear said.
