Newsom, Under Fire Again For Flouting Covid-19 Restrictions, Addresses Going Maskless at Rams Game: ‘I Was Very Judicious’
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) addressed Monday the growing blowback to photos of him not wearing a mask while attending the Rams game on Sunday night.
Newsom, who famously flouted Covid-19 restrictions early in the pandemic by dining at the French Laundry, is again under fire from critics for going maskless indoors while indoor mask mandates remain in place for Californians – including school children.
“You’re correct,” Newsom when asked if he did indeed go maskless indoors. “I was very judicious yesterday. Very judicious.
“You’ll see the photo that I did take, Magic was kind enough, generous enough, to ask me for a photograph and in my left hand’s the mask and I took the photo,” Newsom said in reference to a photo former NBA star Magic Johnson took of the two of them and then posted to social media.
Hanging out at SoFi Stadium today! pic.twitter.com/XfotiRLGz9
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 31, 2022
“The rest of the time I wore it as we all should, um — not when I had a glass of water — and I encourage everybody else to do so. And, uh, that’s it,” Newsom concluded while addressing reporters.
Newsom was pushed by reporters and asked if it was a mistake to take off his mask while at the game. “Yes, of course. I was trying to be gracious. I made a mis — I was trying to be gracious,” he replied. “I took the mask off for a brief second but, no, I encourage people to continue to wear them.”
.@GavinNewsom defends himself for once again breaking his own Covid masking rules: “I was very judicious yesterday … In my left hand is the mask, & I took a photo. The rest of the time I wore it, as we all should. Not when I had a glass of water, or anything … and that’s it.” pic.twitter.com/3FAgbNPM5t
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 31, 2022
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jessica Alba were also all spotted at the game going maskless — something that the Republican National Committee was all too happy to point out.
TV cameras captured a maskless California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom hugging Magic Johnson last night in violation of his own mask mandate.
The video contradicts Newsom’s assertion today that he only removed his mask “for a brief second” when he “took a photo.” pic.twitter.com/kTOjBOlT0F
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 31, 2022
Los Angeles Public Health officials released a statement clarifying the Covid-19 public health rules during the game:
All those attending the NFC Championship game must be fully vaccinated or provide proof of a negative test. If attendees are providing a negative test result, it must be either a PCR test taken within 2 days of the event or an antigen test taken within 1 day of the event. Attendees are also required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, at the event, except while actively eating and drinking.
