The governor of Tennessee is under fire for declaring Saturday — a day of observation — honoring Nathan Bedford Forrest Day, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. 

While the nation debates tearing down monuments to the Confederacy, Gov. Bill Lee signed the statewide proclamation on Thursday, reports The Tennessean.

The decision was instantly met with extreme ire. Critics opposing the declaration reminded the governor that the KKK was a terrorist organization dead set on killing and torturing Black people.

Forrest was a major Confederate general, a slave trader and one of the founders of the KKK. However, Lee claimed he had no other choice but to sign the declaration. 

"I signed the bill because the law requires that I do that and I haven’t looked at changing that law," Lee said Thursday.

According to The Tennessean, the law also requires Lee to declare Jan. 19 as Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee Day. June 3 is also designated as Confederate Decoration Day. The law, which was passed in 1971, states: 

“Tennessee governors are required by statute to issue a series of proclamations each year, including Nathan Bedford Forrest Day. The proclamation that was issued complies with this obligation and is in keeping with prior years.”

The outrage came from both sides of the political spectrum. Most notably, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz scolded Lee.

The Republican governor insisted he is required to comply. However, ironically, he did not look at the law itself. 

"I haven’t even looked at that law, other than knowing I needed to comply with it, so that’s what I did," Lee said. "When we look at the law, then we’ll see."

Nathan Bedford Forrest Day has been observed in the state for at least 50 years, News Channel 5 reports. Groups like Veterans for Peace are attempting to remove a statue of Forrest. 

In the past, Lee has expressed remorse for inadvertently endorsing the Confederacy.

"I never intentionally acted in an insensitive way, but with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that participating in that was insensitive and I’ve come to regret it," Lee said in February.

Nevertheless, Lee has come out against removing the bust of Forrest from the capitol grounds.

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