Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak Apologizes After Photo Surfaces Showing No Mask or Social Distancing in Restaurant

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) apologized after a photo surfaced showing the governor failing to wear a mask or abide by social distancing guidelines while dining at a restaurant in Las Vegas.

A June 9 post from the Italian restaurant Bella Vita showed the governor dining out, seemingly failing to abide by coronavirus guidelines recommending individuals to wear masks and practice social distancing:

His office responded to the controversial images that recently surfaced, stating that he and the first lady removed their face coverings to eat their meals, at which point he was asked to take a photo with management.

“The governor recognizes he should have put his face covering back on and separated himself by six feet,” his office said in a statement.

“He understands we are all adjusting to these practices under our new normal and he takes his responsibility seriously to model the behavior he expects of the residents of this State to replicate,” the statement continued. “He can assure Nevadans this will not occur again.”

Sisolak’s office added that he “was pleased to see the restaurant observing proper safety measures, including reservation for customers, face coverings for all employees, decreased capacity in the restaurant and hand sanitizer available at every table.”

Bella Vita also addressed the issue on social media to reassure patrons that “proper social distancing was put in place.”

“He was also wearing a mask, except for when he was eating and taking a picture,” the restaurant said in a Thursday social media post. “As always, the health and safety of our employees and guests are of the upmost importance to us.”

“These are hard times for everyone, and we would never want to add to that stress in anyway, or put anyone at risk,” the restaurant continued:

Sisolak is not the only governor who has come under fire for seemingly violating coronavirus guidelines. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D), perhaps most well known for his severe lockdown orders, broke his own rules after attending a protest in Harrisburg this month. Dauphin County remained in the yellow phase at the time of the protest, which bars gatherings of over 25:

He later acknowledged that his participation sent an inconsistent message.

“That was inconsistent, I acknowledge that,” Wolf said, appealing to the cause in an attempt to justify his action.

“But I was trying to show support for a cause, the eradication of racism that I think is very, very important and I was trying to show my support for that effort,” Wolf added.