The California Medical Association has confirmed that two of its top brass were among the guests at the birthday party for Gov. Gavin Newsom's friend and political advisor at The French Laundry earlier this month.
A CMA spokesman says CEO Dustin Corcoran and Senior VP Janus Norman were at the dinner for Jason Kinney, who is a mutual friend.
The governor has apologized for going to the dinner party, but political analyst Jack Pitney of Claremont McKenna College said the damage is already done.
"The problem during the pandemic, literally, we are all inside bubbles. Our social connections are more limited than they were in the past and bubbles lead to blind spots. People in the public eye have to set an example and when they do, that helps and when they don't, it hurts," he explained.
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State guidelines are urging people to gather "in groups of three separate households" or less. This comes as several state lawmakers are under fire for going on a policy conference trip to Hawaii.
According to POLITICO, that contingent includes California Democratic lawmakers Blanca Rubio from Baldwin Park and Wendy Carrillo from Boyle Heights. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Jordan Cunningham from San Luis Obispo was also at the Maui event.
That trip comes as an official California advisory tells people to "avoid traveling during the pandemic."
Former California Republican Party chairman Tom Del Becarro criticized both the governor and the lawmakers on Fox News.
The lobbying group that hosts the annual conference said that strict virus safety rules are in force in Hawaii.