McEnany Slams Democrats for Not Following Own COVID-19 Restrictions
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday slammed Democrats who sparked controversy after being seen in public violating COVID-19 restrictions.
Some of these Democrats implemented or supported COVID-19 restrictions in their own jurisdictions, noted a report from The Hill.
In a press briefing, McEnany said the Democrats were displaying "hypocrisy playing on loop."She showed images of California Governor Gavin Newsom eating at an indoor restaurant last week, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in what McEnany called "maskless streets," and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting a hair salon despite COVID-19 restrictions closing these establishments.
She also included a non-politician in the pool, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, said a Fox News report. It was not the first time Cuomo had been called out by McEnany during a press briefing.
Months prior, the press secretary also slammed the anchor for his "dismissive coverage" of violence in cities and the civil unrest over the summer.
"Quite clearly, these Democrats do not follow their own edicts," she said, noting that the politicians acted in ways that their own citizens were barred from acting.
California Democrats Most Hit for COVID 'Hypocrisy'
Many public officials, who face fierce backlash for not following coronavirus safety measures, were from the state of California.
On Tuesday alone, three high-ranking officials from the state received backlash for being caught in public gatherings or private parties.
Read also: California Lawmakers Head to Hawaii Despite COVID-19 Travel Warnings
As reported earlier, Newsom was seen attending a dinner in Napa Valley in early November to celebrate a birthday party with a guest list larger than what was recommended.
Newsom already issued an apology on this matter, but his act has been done. Even after that story became known, several state legislators still took off to Hawaii to attend a conference.
Most recently, three more officials joined these ranks. Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl was spotted at a Santa Monica restaurant hours before supporting to close these establishments temporarily.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo also ignored warnings not to have multiple households together on Thanksgiving Day. He had a family dinner with five households, instead of the allowed three.
Lastly, San Francisco Mayor London Breed attended a birthday dinner at a restaurant with eight people when city protocols only permit six.
Read also: San Francisco Mayor Faces Backlash After Attending Birthday Dinner Party
An opinion article by Mariel Garza in Los Angeles Times said: "Maybe it's unfair to expect elected officials not to trip up when it seems everyone else is doing the same."
"Elected officials have always been held to a higher standard because of the power they wield, and this crisis has set the bar even higher," she added.
White House Also Under Fire for Ignoring COVID-19 Restrictions
While McEnany criticized the said Democrats, the White House was also criticized for holding large gatherings amid the pandemic.
One of the most prominent events was during the nomination ceremony of now-Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. It was considered a "superspreader event" by infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Meanwhile, The Independent reported that McEnany's press briefing was also held with some violations of protocol.
McEnany's husband, Sean Gilmartin, attended the press briefing without a mask, as complained by New York Times photographer Doug Mills.
"Kayleigh McEnany's husband, Sean Gilmartin, was present during the news briefing in the rear of the briefing room and maskless," stated the White House press pool report.
These alleged violations raised concerns as a coronavirus outbreak was reported at the White House in the past few months. Some of those who contracted the virus were President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and McEnany, herself.