“CEO Dustin Corcoran and top CMA lobbyist Janus Norman both joined the dinner at the French Laundry, an elite Napa fine dining restaurant, to celebrate the 50th birthday of lobbyist and longtime Newsom adviser Jason Kinney, a representative of the powerful interest group confirmed Wednesday morning,” Politico reported. “The presence of CMA brass could amplify criticisms of the dinner occurring despite coronavirus restrictions that have limited Californians’ movements and constrained businesses.”
The group claimed that their dinner did not violate the state’s coronavirus guidelines and claimed that it was held outside, despite a witness saying that sliding glass doors had to be closed because of how loud the group was.
“The CMA has long been a powerful presence in the state Capitol, and its Sacramento officials are longtime friends with Kinney,” Politico added. “The group spent $2.1 million last year lobbying state leaders.” “The CMA has long been a powerful presence in the state Capitol, and its Sacramento officials are longtime friends with Kinney,” Politico added. “The group spent $2.1 million last year lobbying state leaders.”EXCLUSIVE: We've obtained photos of Governor Gavin Newsom at the Napa dinner party he's in hot water over. The photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed. 10pm on @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/gtOVEwa864
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 18, 2020
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