CNN host Don Lemon said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should have owned her mistake in visiting a San Francisco salon during coronavirus restrictions.
On his show Wednesday night, Lemon criticized the California Democrat’s decision to call her appointment at a local salon a “setup” after critics accused her of hypocritically shaming others for not wearing medical masks after video showed her walking through a salon without a mask.
“So, the speaker of the House is blaming the salon after she didn’t wear a mask indoors. Tonight, the salon owner is denying it was a setup,” Lemon began. “Regardless, this far into the pandemic, the House speaker should know what is safe and what isn’t. We should all know. It’s our responsibility. Instead of claiming a setup, would have been just as easy for the speaker to say, ‘You know what? I messed up. I should have worn a mask indoors.'”
Security footage obtained by Fox News showed Pelosi visiting ESalonSF in San Francisco. Erica Kious, the salon’s owner, said the top Democratic lawmaker’s visit was a “slap in the face” to business owners who operate indoors, which is prohibited in the city by ordinance.
“We’re supposed to look up to this woman, right?” Kious said. “It is just disturbing.”
The San Francisco Department of Public Health issued a series of directives to enforce social distancing, which includes limiting local business practices. “Indoor Personal Care Services are not allowed, but Directive 2020-23 allows Outdoor Personal Services and was released on September 1,” the department wrote, describing the order. “Indoor preliminary guidance was released on July 1, 2020 to help businesses prepare.”
“I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighborhood salon that I’ve been to over the years many times, and that when they said what we’re able to accommodate people, one person at a time, and that we can set up that time, I trusted that,” Pelosi said in response to criticism. “So, I take responsibility for falling for a setup. And that’s all I’m going to say on that.” She then demanded the salon issue her an apology.
