California Gov. Gavin Newsom conducts his weekly news conference on Monday. Photo: Office of the Governor via AP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has admitted he shouldn't have attended a birthday party with a dozen people at the French Laundry, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Napa County.
What he's saying: "While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” Newsom said in a statement.
- The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Nov. 6 event was a 50th birthday party for Newsom friend and adviser Jason Kinney.
The state of play: California guidelines currently restrict gatherings, defined as “social situations that bring together people from different households at the same time in a single space or place,” to no more than three households.
- As of Friday, the state reported 998,502 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and a total of 18,137 deaths since the pandemic began.