‘Outrageous Conduct’: Fury at Gov. Newsom’s French Laundry Dinner Grows Amid Report That Top CA Medical Officials Attended Too
Agustin Paullier/AFP/Getty
Observers reacted with fury at the news that top California medical officials attended a dinner at swanky eatery French Laundry with Governor Gavin Newsom amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Newsom previously faced condemnation last week after it was reported that he had attended the dinner of at least twelve people, despite the fact that he has enacted some of the strictest coronavirus restrictions in the country which, among other things, forbid meetings of people from more than three households.
The anger grew on Wednesday after it was further reported that top California medical officials — namely California Medical Association CEO Dustin Corcoran and lobbyist Janus Norman — had also attended.
MSNBC contributor and Daily Beast politics editor Sam Stein called the medical officials’ involvement in the dinner “Outrageous conduct.”
Outrageous conduct. https://t.co/TlDXUGZqOo
— Sam Stein (@samstein) November 18, 2020
New York Times opinion writer-at-large Charlie Warzel commented, “this sucks so much,” and pointed out that the display of hypocrisy “will likely cause at least some people who would’ve acted responsibly to say ‘fuck it.'”
this sucks so much and will likely cause at least some people who would’ve acted responsibly to say ‘fuck it.’ https://t.co/nHxDlPD0d4
— Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel) November 18, 2020
Others condemned the dinner attendees:
Seriously, @CMAdocs?
The elitist arrogance displayed here by the governor and lobbyists — from the California MEDICAL Association, no less — knows no limits. https://t.co/s8cEUjXeW0
— Ron Nehring (@RonNehring) November 18, 2020
These are the same people trying to get you to cancel Thanksgiving ??? https://t.co/A8JflAyDT9
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) November 18, 2020
that noise you may hear is me grinding my teeth until they snap off at the roots https://t.co/LBoFXEGomt
— ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper) November 18, 2020
i’m sorry, i meant what a BUNCH of dinguses https://t.co/Oc4vcqd9Vg
— soc.thorin.klosowski (@kingthor) November 18, 2020
The hypocrisy is just so disappointing. https://t.co/bNhC1B6atD
— Emily Bazar (@emilybazar) November 18, 2020
It just keeps getting worse. https://t.co/gLOcrTHYgd
— Doug Heye (@DougHeye) November 18, 2020
I’ve been seeing people in Orange County trying to organize “Recall Gavin Newsom” efforts. This will certainly help https://t.co/M7EOP9wS9g
— Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) November 18, 2020
Photographs of the dinner were also released this week, showing the crowded, maskless group indoors without proper social distancing.
EXCLUSIVE: We’ve obtained photos of Governor Gavin Newsom at the Napa dinner party he’s in hot water over. The photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed. 10pm on @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/gtOVEwa864
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 18, 2020
In June, the California Medical Association tweeted, “Anyone who wants businesses to reopen and schools to open in the fall should wear a mask. Anyone who wants to slow the spread of COVID-19 should wear a mask. Anyone who wants to protect themselves, their neighbor and their community should wear a mask. Wear a mask.”
Anyone who wants businesses to reopen and schools to open in the fall should wear a mask. Anyone who wants to slow the spread of COVID-19 should wear a mask. Anyone who wants to protect themselves, their neighbor and their community should wear a mask. Wear a mask.
— California Medical Association (@CMAdocs) June 26, 2020
