Governor Gavin Newsom signs SB 1383 into law alongside First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom on September 17, 2020. (Photo: ca.gov)
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ‘Dinnergate’ Apology Grows From Little White Lie to Whopper
This was no ‘Freudian’ slip or ‘political gaffe’
By Katy Grimes, November 23, 2020 5:26 pm
We know that with too many politicians “the ends justify the means,” meaning the desired result is so important that any method, even a morally bad one, may be used to achieve it.
Gov. Gavin Newsom was caught in recent weeks dining in Napa Valley with a large dinner party at the swanky French Laundry restaurant, violating his own COVID stay-at-home orders. Monday at his press briefing, he issued a duplicitous apology, arguing that Napa was in the less restrictive orange tier of his lockdown, he was caught off guard, and the party was outside… as if that minimized his personal breach.
Newsom smiled and smirked and even lied during his apology to the people, claiming the dinner party was outside. Photos taken by another guest dining at the French Laundry show that his large group was indeed indoors.
But the dishonesty doesn’t stop there.
As any Capitol insider and observer knows, all California Governors have professional and extensive security detail, provided by the California Highway Patrol. The governor doesn’t show up anywhere unaware, and doesn’t go anywhere without detailed coordination by his advance security team. They know who will be at the event, and go so far as to require names, companies/affiliations, and phone numbers.
The California Globe has been told Newsom’s CHP security totals 20 officers.
The dinner party was for Jason Kinney, “a respected Sacramento-based public affairs consultant and political communications expert, who has advised California’s best known public officials, most prominent job creators, and most impactful political associations,” according to his firm bio.
Kinney, a 20-year friend and political consultant to the governor, held the party at the famed Michelin-starred restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, California Globe reported. On the Chef’s tasting menu, the starting meal costs $310 per person, before wine.
Gov. Newsom tried to be contrite in issuing an apology last week saying, “Instead of sitting down I should have gotten back in my car and gone home.” The Governor doesn’t drive… as if he actually would have gotten in “his car” and gone home. The Governor has a driver everywhere he goes in addition to his security detail.
However, since his apology and lie about dining outdoors, a few more untruths have been exposed.
“I own the mistake. I expect more from myself. I’ll never do it again,” Newsom said. It wasn’t clear whether he meant he won’t dine with more than 10 people again per his own lockdown orders, or if he won’t get caught dining with more than 10 people again, because he still has not explained why he restricted “gatherings” for the great unwashed of California to 10 people or less.
Clearly if Gov. Newsom doesn’t feel threatened dining with 10 or more people, why should anyone else?
Some reported that there were actually 20 people at the dinner party. There are also figures for the bar tab ranging from $12,000 to $15,000.
Reporter Adam Housely posted on Twitter that the bar tab was $15,000 and there were 22 guests at the Kinney birthday dinner – not the 12 Gov. Newsom claimed. If everyone at the party imbibed and/or paid their own bar tab, it would have cost each of the 22 guests $682.00 per person just for the liquor.
For information on Jason Kinney, Dan Walters reported:
“lobbyist Jason Kinney, a veteran political consultant and a long-time Newsom friend who founded a lobbying firm, Axiom Advisors, shortly after Newsom was elected in 2018.”
As Politico pointed out in a quickly reported and written article, “Axiom reaped $10.9 million worth of lobbying work in 2019-20, the first legislative session during which Newsom was governor.”
The firm has nine lobbyists and more than 80 clients, most of whom are corporate entities or coalitions who in Capitol politics would be jousting with interests, such as unions and environmental groups, associated with Newsom’s Democratic Party.”
Walters also reminds readers that Jason Kinney was a speechwriter for the last recalled California Governor Gray Davis.
The Globe has spoken to lobbyists and Capitol staffers who report that Kinney has been in and out of Gov. Newsom’s office as if he’s Chief of Staff, since the governor was elected – even if the governor is out of town. They also say Kinney tells potential and existing clients he is a senior advisor to the Governor. But how can he be senior advisor to the governor and a lobbyist representing private sector clients, who then lobby the governor?
Kinney, who is a consultant to the California Medical Association, dined with CMA’s CEO and lobbyist at the French Laundry birthday dinner, according to news reports.
“The California Medical Assn. on Wednesday confirmed that Dustin Corcoran, the association’s chief executive, and its top lobbyist Janus Norman attended the Nov. 6 dinner at the Michelin-starred French Laundry in Yountville for Jason Kinney, a close friend of the governor and lobbyist with his own firm, Axiom Advisors,” the Los Angeles Times reported. “The event and the photos emphasized Newsom’s close ties to top lobbyists at the state Capitol and led to criticism that the governor is flouting the safety guidelines he has set for Californians. Newsom said Monday that he and his wife paid for their meals.”
Both Dustin Corcoran and Janus Norman can be seen in the photo at the French Laundry seated near Gavin Newsom without masks on or socially distanced, leading many to believe that just as with Gov. Newsom, they also don’t feel threatened or in danger of contracting coronavirus in the company of 22 other people while dining indoors.
We may have to wait until next quarter to access the politician and lobbyist financial reports to learn who paid for the dinner, and whether it was expensed back to the California Medical Association.
1/2 Because Yountville is my hometown..and where the French Laundry is located…I thought I’d do some digging. Facts about the Newsom dinner. The bar bill was around 15-thousand. 22 people in attendance, not 12. No masks. All indoors. They got so loud, other patrons complained
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) November 23, 2020
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I don’t know who is more vile (viler?), Newsom or “Dr.” Barbara Ferrer, Minister of Health in LA County. They’re both cut from the same moth-eaten cloth. They both stink like a back-alley LA dumpster.
https://recallgavin2020.com
If the RECALL effort gets to a special election, can we make sure we use paper ballot and not allow the state to DOMINIONIZE the vote?
https://recallgavin2020.com/
Comrades
It’s only started, now no liquor sales in Penna. in Thanksgiving…..mite…..it…..be…..banned….you picking up your honey backed ham too…..hmmmm.
Hmm, 10 PM curfew, no singing or dancing…we’re living the third iteration of “Footloose” with Gavin as Rev. Moore.
Katy, thanks for the details on who these jokers are. Politicking has turned into a lucrative business.
Jason Kinney, speechwriter to lobbyist, it is a good ol’ boy rising star story. He now makes millions when his buddy becomes Governor.
The other highlight of the sordid tale the CMA felt no need to distance or wear masks.
Mmm, think about that while you are ordered to stay away from Grandma, exclude Aunt Sally from the guest list this Thanksgiving.
Our rights are being trampled while they literally laugh in our faces.
Recall Newsom and next election clean the state capitol out.
…and please remember to mask,bite, mask, you peasants!
When will Californians understand we are being ruled not governed! Newsom is a tyrant that is indifferent at best and probably despises people as too stupid to conduct your life. Get motivated to recall this abject creature! #recallgavinnewsom #recallnewsom
I think the IRS may want to audit Jason Kinney. If he or his firm take tax deductions for these lavish and extravagant dinner gatherings, the majority of the expenses should be disallowed.
Democrats don’t get audited.
Agree
I want to know why all these people, our political and medical experts, were not fearful of infection, which is so lethal we have to put millions of people into despair and bankruptcy to avoid it. There is not a mask in sight, not hanging off one year or under a chin. Are they taking meds like hydroxy, the dreaded Trump pill? Did they get a vaccine? Is the virus actually no big deal?
I wish someone would ask him.
If Newsom is BREATHING, he’s LYING!!!
This is crony influence, hypocrisy, lying and every single ONE of the “Seven Deadly Sins” on full display…
If this revelation, in conjunction with the draconian “stay at home” and arbitrary Thanksgiving rules, doesn’t infuriate California voters to participate in the Recall initiative of Gavin The Greaseball Newsom, then something is wrong with you…
Jerry Brown was vile as Governor, but at least he had political savvy to be smart about his corruption, this jackwagon is PURE UNADULTERATED vile SLIME, and oozes self-importance, hubris and arrogance….
Dump his hide and elect Tom McClintock as we should have done in 2003… California voters need to atone for their 2003 mistake when they elected an action hero to be Governor….
And I wonder who picks up the tab? Typically not the birthdat person. Could Newson throw down his CA EDT card to thank him for his lobbying, oops I meant Happy Birthday. Seems like the elected officials of Northern CA can do whatever they want regardless of what Covid rules are, Pelosi went to the hair salon. But wait, didn’t his kids just test positive? Hmmm were they in attendance as well?
I find it odd that millions of Californians are taking the Gov’s GUIDELINES as law. He has no authority, proven by the FACT that a judge has told him he has NO authority. It seems like Gruesome has been doubling down since he was handed the court order to STOP.
Tip: you can’t break a law that does not exist, give me a violation code or go away.
After doing his best to destroy San Francisco, California voters put him in the governors office. Well, what can you expect from voters that enacted an automatic tax increase measure, no approval necessary?
Yep, Newsom is trying to ruin California right along side his Aunt Nancy (Pelosi) and her Beauty Parlor hair shampoos. They BOTH believe they are the elite, and are not subject to the rules they lay down.
ALL the politicians and officials buying into the Kung Flu fraud are scum of the lowest order.
This is all about power and forcing the people to submit to authoritarian demoncrat party over lords
ALL the demoncrat voters in California are the enemy
Yes I am pissed, all sane people should be
So Gavin gave a press conference yesterday to brag about his home office and how he has hired help from overseas, WHY??
https://recallgavin2020.com/
Jeez, these people are special aren’t they? The ‘rona knows royalty when it sees it and keeps to a respectful distance.
Of course His Esteemed Highness knew how many people were going to be there. He probably got the last head count from his CHP driver as they were heading into Yountville.
Gaggin thinks he has voter frauded himself and his cronies into permanent power. This dinner was flipping the bird to the people of this state. Expect more and more of these little “mistakes”. He thinks he is untouchable. Time for a reckoning!
LOL “Gaggin.” Yes he does think that and yes he has been flipping the bird to us for as long as we have known him. “Time for a reckoning” for sure. Don’t you worry, he’ll get one, one day, one way or another, even without being recalled from office, won’t he? In the meantime:
https://recallgavin2020.com
Happy Thanksgiving
If he ever told the truth, he’d lie his was out of it….
These ass hats have people believing Corona is such a deadly disease yet they run around unmasked without a thought til they get caught. So deadly that there are no bio hazard containers to throw out used masks and gloves so they get thrown in the streets and left in shopping carts and nobody id dressed in haz mat suits, Asbestos is treated much more seriously. All these people who question NOTHING and do what they are told. How pathetic & fearful not to mention stupid can people possibly get?
Well his children are chauffeured by the CHP at a cost of ??? to the taxpayers. That’s why he is on lock down now.
How much is his security overtime bill for a Saturday night?
He is nothing but a wanna be ROYAL but is only a PITA.
Don’t forget he claimed to have had alcohol counseling in San Francisco after having the affair with his staffers wife. Then he was recovered so it was all right to start drinking again.