OOPS

CA Guv: I Was Wrong to Attend Aide’s Birthday Party Amid Pandemic

On Thursday, California became the second state to report 1 million cases of COVID-19.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife attended a dinner party with a dozen attendees from several different households—despite his own administration recommending that people refrain from such gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic. The Nov. 6 dinner for one of his political advisers was held outdoors at Napa Valley’s swanky French Laundry restaurant, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Communications director Nathan Click said that the party “followed public health guidelines and the restaurant’s health protocols—all in line with the state’s rules for restaurant operation.” But, after the Chronicle published its story, Newsom said he shouldn’t have gone. “I should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” he said. On Thursday, California became the second state to report 1 million cases of COVID-19 after Texas.