Gavin Newsom apologises for breaking lockdown to go to a dinner party as California put under new rules

The governor was part of a group of more than 12 people who went to the birthday celebration at Napa’s famed French Laundry

California governor Gavin Newsom has apologised for the “bad mistake” he made in attending a birthday party that defied the state’s Covid-19 restrictions. 

Gov. Newsom was part of a group of more than 12 people who celebrated the birthday of political advisor Jason Kinney at the famed French Laundry restaurant in Napa Valley.

The governor said that as soon as he arrived at the party he realised the group was larger than anticipated.

“I made a bad mistake," he said. “Instead of sitting down, I should have stood up and walked back, got in my car and drove back to my house.

“Instead, I chose to sit there with my wife and a number of other couples that were outside the household.”

The group at the party on 6 November included people from several different households. California currently limits events to no more than three households.

A spokesperson for Gov. Newsom initially said that the dinner did not violate state restrictions as it was held outdoors and that everyone followed guidelines and wore face masks.

But Gov. Newsom accepted he had broken the “spirit” of his state’s guidelines.

“You can quibble about the guidelines, et cetera, et cetera, but the spirit of what I'm preaching all the time was contradicted and I got to own that.

“And so I want to apologise to you, because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I've done my best to do that.

“We're all human. We all fall short sometimes.”

State guidance, which was updated on 9 October, does not specify if the three household limitation applies to outdoor dining.

But the state’s Department of Health has mandated that multiple household gatherings are held outside, where transmission risks are lower, and last for less than two hours.