/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5f4ef3c78b9fb000f7fd7821/0x0.jpg?cropX1=0&cropX2=5784&cropY1=293&cropY2=3547&w=1200&resize=1200,675&ssl=1 "Pelosi Sparks Criticism For Visiting San Francisco Hair Salon Against Local Health Orders")
TOPLINE
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to violate local health orders on Tuesday by visiting a shuttered hair salon in San Francisco, drawing condemnation from Republicans.
U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks to reporters at her weekly press conference at … [+]
Photo by Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images
KEY FACTS
According to security camera footage obtained by Fox News, Pelosi is seen walking around a salon with wet hair and a mask around her neck, but not her mouth and nose. (The stylist was wearing a face mask).
The visit goes against San Francisco health orders, which limit hair salons to outdoor operations and mandate mask usage.
In a statement, Pelosi’s Deputy Chief of Staff Drew Hammill implied Pelosi was misinformed about local restrictions, saying “this business offered for the Speaker to come in on Monday and told her they were allowed by the city to have one customer at a time in the business. The Speaker complied with the rules as presented to her by this establishment.”
The owner of eSalon, Erica Kious, told Fox News she disapproves of the visit, and that an independent stylist who rents a chair in her salon scheduled the appointment with Pelosi’s assistant.
eSalon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
Chief critic
Republicans called Pelosi a hypocrite, especially because she has been outspoken about other members of Congress wearing masks and following coronavirus guidelines.
“Speaker Pelosi has pushed policies that would keep our economy closed and our small businesses shut down. But for herself? A salon visit whenever she pleases,” Senate Republicans tweeted.
Key background
Hair salons and barber shops in San Francisco have been closed since March, and were only allowed to reopen for outdoor service on Tuesday. Though state rules do allow for hair salons to operate indoors, localities can impose stricter restrictions, which San Francisco has done. The city plans to allow indoor service at salons with limited capacity by the end of the month. The beauty industry has pushed back hard against the closures. Fred Jones, legal counsel for the Professional Beauty Federation of California, said in a statement last week that giving local officials “ultimate veto over our STATE licensed industry is unworkable.”
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