Politics Governors take heat for violating their own coronavirus restrictions

© Getty Images Governors take heat for violating their own coronavirus restrictions

Several top Democrats have come under criticism in recent days for violating the coronavirus restrictions they imposed on their own states and cities in hopes of curbing the spread of the pandemic.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was photographed attending a dinner party at the French Laundry, one of the nation's priciest restaurants, with a group of prominent lobbyists, including several who represent the California Medical Association. The photos show no one in the large party wearing a mask.

Newsom apologized a few days later.

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Pfizer and BioNTech are expected to produce up to 50 million doses globally in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021. The news comes days after Moderna, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, announced early Monday its candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, developed in collaboration with the U.S. government, appeared to be 94.5% effective against COVID-19.

" Their life was taken away from them." Executive orders by governors to close nonessential States can even impose restrictions on protests, Marcosson said, as long as the restrictions fall in The federal government also could potentially overturn state restrictions on interstate travel, Marcosson

Governors are ordering coronavirus -related restrictions . Here is a state-by-state guide of what's going on to attempt to slow the spread. En español | Governors across the country are issuing orders and recommendations to their residents on the status of schools, businesses and public

"I want to apologize to you because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I've done my best to do that," Newsom said.

Newsom is self-quarantining after a student at one of his children's schools tested positive for the coronavirus - another sore spot for critics who are frustrated that most California students are not learning in person.

"His kids can learn in person. But yours can't. He can celebrate birthday parties. But you can't," San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (R), a potential Newsom rival in 2022, wrote on Twitter.

His kids can learn in person. But yours can't.

He can celebrate birthday parties. But you can't.

He can dine on a $350 meal at one California's fanciest restaurants during the worst recession in generations. But you definitely can't.

Broncos DC Ed Donatell back home recovering after COVID-related hospitalization

Broncos defensive coordinator Ed Donatell required hospitalization after contracting the coronavirus, according to the team. The second-year Denver DC was hospitalized last week but discharged Sunday. Donatell, 63, has been battling COVID-19 symptoms since Oct. 31 and has missed the past three games. Donatell, who is in his third stint with the franchise, is one of a few Broncos staffers to have contracted the virus. Running backs coach Curtis Modkins did so in October, and offensive line coach Mike Munchak was in the team’s COVID protocol.

But the risk of a deadlier second wave of coronavirus is quite possible. "But I don't think it's helpful to encourage demonstrations and encourage people to go against the President's own policy." Hogan, the chairman of the National Governors sAssociation, said states such as his own haven't

To take exercise (the guidelines suggest once a day, and in Wales that is the law). The restrictions were announced on 23 March by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with the plan to review them after three weeks. Coronavirus spreads when an infected person coughs small droplets into the air.

Can you believe this? I can't. https://t.co/lmRBWh9rpS

- Kevin Faulconer (@Kevin_Faulconer) November 14, 2020

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Monday that his 89-year-old mother and two of his daughters would travel to his residence in Albany for Thanksgiving, after urging residents to avoid travel that might cause a spike in cases over the holiday.

"His arrogance and hypocrisy knows no bounds," Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) wrote on Twitter. "Do as I say, not as I do. Rules for thee, but not for me."

This is one of the many reasons why Cuomo is the WORST Governor in America.

His arrogance and hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Do as I say, not as I do.

Rules for thee, but not for me.

Family for me, but none for you.

A despised, hypocritical, tyrannical, hubris-laden Governor https://t.co/WLvF5vdypx

- Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 23, 2020

Richard Azzopardi, Cuomo's senior advisor, said in a statement to reporters just hours after his remarks that the family dinner had been canceled.

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Few governors -- who ran for office to tackle their state's tough issues -- ever considered a Here are some of the different steps five American governors have taken to tackle the coronavirus And when a bar in Cincinnati violated the order for two straight days, the door of the bar was padlocked

With governments following their own playbooks — or, it sometimes appeared, improvising in “You can’t take that away from the French.” France announced on Saturday the closing of all nonessential businesses, including restaurants, bars and movie theaters, after a sharp uptick in infections.

"As the governor said, he had been discussing seeing his mother with two of his daughters for a four person Thanksgiving in accordance with all state issued guidance, but as he also said the plans were still changing and given the current circumstances with COVID, he will have to work through Thanksgiving and will not be seeing them," Azzopardi said. "Don't tell his mom - she doesn't know yet."

Less than two hours after @NYGovCuomo said in a radio interview that his 89-year-old mother, Matilda, would join him for Thanksgiving, senior adviser @RichAzzopardi now says the Democratic governor's plans have changed - he will be working on the holiday.

Full statement here -> pic.twitter.com/VzTrd0F5Ld

- Jimmy Vielkind (@JimmyVielkind) November 23, 2020

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) also took criticism for attending an Election Night celebration for President-elect Joe Biden in Wilmington, Del. Washington's rules require anyone traveling to a potential hotspot quarantine for two weeks when they return to the city. Delaware is included among those hot spots, but Bowser declined to quarantine, calling the trip essential travel.

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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D), a resident of Chicago, has declined to say whether he will follow Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's (D) advisory against Thanksgiving travel. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) canceled a planned dinner for incoming first-term lawmakers after backlash against an event that would have crammed dozens of people into an indoor, poorly-ventilated space.

Violating orders or even recommendations could have negative effects on a state's efforts to slow the spread of the virus, experts said, because most of those orders are not enforced by police. Instead, they require citizens to follow rules of their own volition.

"When leaders break their own rules, they send a message that people should not take those rules seriously," said John Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College and a former top spokesman at the Republican National Committee. "That's always unfortunate. In this situation, it's dangerous. It enables people to rationalize risky behavior."

Some epidemiologists said the lapses are the most prominent examples of the pandemic fatigue that weighs so heavily after months of lockdown and isolation.

"We're human beings, we're going to screw up, and the best thing to do after you've screwed up is to admit that you've screwed up, apologize and explain why you messed up," said Christine Petersen, an epidemiologist at the University of Iowa. "We all know that this is really hard and it sucks."

Supreme Court blocks strict COVID-19 restrictions on some New York houses of worship

It was a reversal from earlier actions taken by the high court in response to state restrictions on organized religion during the pandemic.The court's new, more conservative majority ruled 5-4 that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's limits on churches, synagogues and other houses of worship to 10 or 25 worshipers in hard-hit regions appeared to violate the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.

Fewer Republican governors have been caught violating their own orders - in large part because they have not implemented the same kinds of restrictions that public health experts say are critical to curbing the spread of a deadly virus.

Some, including Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R), have flouted expert advice against indoor dining and joining large crowds; both Stitt and Parson contracted the virus and recovered.

President Trump has routinely flouted even the most basic advice from his public health experts, holding large indoor rallies during the campaign and at least two events at the White House - his nomination of Justice Amy Coney Barrett and an Election Night party - that appear to have been super-spreader events. Trump himself was hospitalized for several days after contracting the virus.

American politicians are far from alone in lapsed judgement. Dominic Cummings, a top advisor to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, broke a travel ban to visit family in May. New Zealand Health Minister David Clark called himself an "idiot" for leaving home in April. Top leaders in Scotland, Japan, South Africa, India and Spain have all faced criticism for bending the rules.

The coronavirus pandemic that has so far killed more than a quarter million Americans is surging toward its highest peak yet, as the United States records more than 100,000 new cases each day. Many governors, especially those who have enforced the strictest lockdowns, have seen their poll numbers skyrocket as constituents reward them for taking action.

But those who violate their own orders are almost certain to be reminded of their transgressions in campaigns ahead.

"People remember. It won't be the biggest issue in the next campaign, but it will be an issue," Pitney said. "Expect the French Laundry to show up in GOP attack ads."