Gov. Gavin Newsom is catching flack after reportedly attending a birthday party for one of his political advisers that included people from several households.
The story was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The dinner apparently took place last Friday at the famed French Laundry in Napa County. The gathering in Yountville included at least 12 people, exactly the type of activity Gov. Newsom's administration has discouraged throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The paper also reported the governor's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was there.
The governor's spokesperson defended the 50th birthday party for Jason Kinney, a longtime friend and political adviser to Gov. Newsom, because it took place outdoors. While declining to comment on the amount of people at the party, officials did not deny it was more than the recommended three households, according to the Chronicle.
The state's COVID-19 guidelines read: "Yes, some outdoor gatherings are permitted, but they must meet certain conditions. This is because gatherings pose an especially high danger of transmission and spread of COVID-19. Gatherings are defined as events that bring together people from multiple households in one space, indoors or outdoors. That space could be as large as an arena or as small as a private home."
With the holidays approaching and case counts on the rise across the country, Gov Newsom and the governors of Washington and Oregon issued travel advisories Friday for those leaving their respective states to celebrate with family and friends. Bay Area health officials have also issued similar joint recommendations for quarantine procedures if celebrating in certain scenarios.
California hit a grim milestone in the pandemic Thursday, recording its one millionth confirmed coronavirus case.
The state joins Texas as the only in the country to do so.
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