On Friday, Nov. 6, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) "attended dinner to celebrate the 50th birthday of his longtime friend and political adviser Jason Kinney. The outdoor dinner at The French Laundry in Yountville in Napa County brought together 12 people, including the governor and his wife."
In a statement Friday, Nov. 13, Newsom said that “while our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner.”
A representative for Kinney, Molly Weedn, said, “This was a small, intimate, 12-person dinner held outdoors with family and a few close friends to celebrate a 50th birthday," and that protocols had been followed. Still, three families were reported to have been at the dinner, which is against the one-family rule promoted by Newsom.
The California Republican Party tweeted that the governor “seems to be talking out of both sides of his mouth," citing a prior tweet by Newsom.
Hmmm..."Do not let your guard down. Your actions could literally save lives." @GavinNewsom seems to be talking out… https://t.co/eCHuKFgBSz— CAGOP (@CAGOP) 1605294735.0
It was not immediately clear what Newsom ate and how much he spent at The French Laundry, which offers a variety of extremely pricey menus.
The 3-star Michelin restaurant has maintained its $350 per person tasting menu, served in an outdoor dining room during the pandemic. It also added a number of other options, including a $450 per person menu for parties of up to 12 people, that can be served indoors or outside, and another for $850. The restaurant requires all reservations to be paid in advance.
