Gavin Newsom says dining at French Laundry during pandemic was 'dumb mistake'
'Fox & Friends' hosts react to Sean Hannity's interview with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
California Gov. Gavin Newsom admitted in an exclusive interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity that his decision to dine at The French Laundry restaurant, one of The Golden State's most elite fine dining spots, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was a "dumb mistake."
The high-profile Democrat discussed the decision to visit the high-end venue in Nov. 2020 despite his own rhetoric that had kept California locked down for months.
"It was a dumb mistake," Newsom said in the interview that aired during "Hannity" Monday night.
GAVIN NEWSOM'S CONTROVERSIAL FRENCH LAUNDRY MEAL BEGS QUESTION: HOW MUCH DID IT COST?
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in San Francisco, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
"It was a terrible mistake. It wasn’t illegal, it was wrong. And I totally violated the spirit of what I was preaching, and it was wrong, and I own that. I own that… And you know what, for the grace of God, no one else has ever made a mistake," he added.
Hannity continued to press Newsom, saying, "Everybody makes mistakes. However, that was a dumb one."
Newsom fired back: "It was dumb… and I own it. So I don’t need to be reminded of it."
At the time, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin tweeted photos obtained by FOX 11 Los Angeles showing Newsom inside the venue. Melugin wrote, "the photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his [Newsom's] group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed."
The California governor also received criticism at the time for sending his kids to in-person private school in Sacramento as lockdowns remained in place in other schools throughout the state.
Despite reports indicating otherwise, he told CNN at the time that he was a "Zoom parent."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, accompanied by his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and their children, delivers remarks after winning his second term in office, in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. ((AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli))
Newsom previously apologized for failing to practice what he preached about strict safety guidelines put in place for Californians during the pandemic, telling the people of California, "I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I’ve done my best to do that," adding, "We’re all human. We all fall short sometimes."
The Los Angeles Times reported that Newsom reversed some of his own reopening plans the same day he discussed his own behavior. The reversal would place 94% of Californians under the "most restrictive guidelines."
Outrage over the incident further ignited hopes that Newsom could be recalled, but the attempt ultimately failed.
Tune in to "Hannity" this week at 9:00pm ET for more from the Newsom interview.
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Fox News' David Aaro contributed to this report.