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Beshear accused Shakur Monday night during a coronavirus briefing of being one of the “bad apples” who had been filing false claims and causing delays in the process of granting unemployment benefits. “We had somebody apply for unemployment for Tupac Shakur here in Kentucky,” Beshear said. “And that person may have thought they were being funny, they probably did. Except for the fact that because of them, we had to go through so many other claims.”
Beshear apologized for embarrassing Shakur or causing him any unwanted attention. “He was very kind. He ended the call ‘God bless,’ and we’re gonna make sure that we resolve his claim,” Beshear said. “Malik, thank you for being […] so kind, and again I’m sorry.”
Shakur, 46, of Lexington, was a cook at Alfalfa Restaurant and Lynagh’s Irish Pub before both establishments closed in response to the coronavirus epidemic, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. “I’ve been struggling for like the last month trying to figure out how to pay the bills,” Shakur told the newspaper Monday. He said in the interview he was hurt, embarrassed, and shocked at the governor’s initial remarks. “He needs to apologize,” Shakur said. “That’s just my name.”
When the governor did exactly that, Shakur forgave him. “I understand, he’s dealing with a lot,” Shakur told the Lexington newspaper. “Mistakes happen.”
View the governor’s original remarks:
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