Pelosi faces criticism over California hair salon visit

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) faced criticism from Republicans on Thursday over her visit to a San Francisco hair salon on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Speaker’s office told The Hill on Tuesday that Pelosi complied with the business’s requirements as they were presented to her, and contended that she followed local guidelines, stating that the salon had informed her that one customer was allowed inside the business at a time.

“The Speaker always wears a mask and complies with local COVID requirements. 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,” Pelosi’s office said in the statement. 

A Twitter account operated by Senate Republicans had tweeted earlier that Pelosi’s visit was a “slap in the face” to business owners who had seen their workplaces shuttered by state restrictions meant to stop the spread of coronavirus after Fox News reported that the House leader had visited a “shuttered” salon for a haircut.

“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,” the account tweeted, adding: “A ‘slap in the face’ indeed.”

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.

A “slap in the face” indeed.

— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) September 1, 2020

The salon’s owner contended to Fox News that Pelosi’s visit violated citywide COVID-19 restrictions prohibiting indoor service at hair salons in the San Francisco area as well as rules against blow-drying hair at salons. A notice from the San Francisco mayor’s office posted Friday stated that outdoor service at hair salons could resume Monday, but added that “services may not be provided indoors.”

Video of the visit also shows Pelosi with her mask around her neck; guidelines from the mayor’s office state that “any service that requires your customer to remove their face covering are not permitted at this time.”

“I was like, are you kidding me right now? Do I let this happen? What do I do?” the salon’s owner told Fox News. “It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can’t work.”