Removing turn signal switch on left handle bar

I am having problems separating the two halves of the turn signal switch. I removed the two screws. Both halves will separate just a crack, but I can not remove them from the handle bar. I know that a  piece of the cover hits into a hole in the handle bar. It seems like something is holding the cover near the grips. Is there a special technique to separate them? The PO must have overtightened one of the screws and ruined the threads. I am going to re-do the threads, but need to separate the switch.