California Lawmakers Defy Their Own COVID-19 Travel Warnings With Trip to Hawaii

California Lawmakers Defy Their Own COVID-19 Travel Warnings With Trip to Hawaii

I repeat: Everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others.

California lawmakers traveled to Maui in Hawaii to attend the non-profit group California Independent Voter Project’s (IVP) annual policy conference.

The kicker? It has panels discussing “various issues including how to reopen safely amid COVID-19.”

Yeah, for some reason they have to travel to Hawaii for this conference.

The conference began on Monday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom told Californians not to travel out of state on Friday.

Of course, IVP has its justifications:

Dan Howle, chairman and executive director for the Independent Voter Project, said about 50 participants are in Hawaii this week, a third of its normal size, including fewer than 20 legislators from multiple states. Howle declined to say how many California lawmakers are in attendance, but said both Democrats and Republicans are participating in the four-day conference that started Monday.

Howle said the organization has been working for months with the hotel, which hosts the summit each year, to make sure the event was as safe as possible and in accordance with Hawaii’s stringent COVID-19 guidelines. Attendees are wearing masks, adhering to food and drink regulations and physically distancing from others.

But but but it’s only a third of the size this year and even Republicans are at the conference!

The last part made me so angry. *They* honestly think us normies cannot take the proper precautions with a big group?! Only these special and chosen ones can adhere to the rules?!

Howle said everyone is walking around with masks without complaining, but “[O]f course, they’re in Maui.”

WOW. Tone-deaf and no self-awareness.

It doesn’t help that the annual conference has drawn criticism for years “because it is partly financed and attended by special interests including businesses and labor groups, which lobby legislators.”

It’s not shocking that Howle won’t identify the legislators:

The identity of the attendees at the annual conference is always a touchy subject, with lawmakers often refusing to confirm their attendance until they must report the travel expenses months later.

Event organizers gave each lawmaker $3,500 for expenses in 2019. California “ethics laws allow legislators to have travel expenses provided by groups if they are speakers at events away from the state.”

I looked at IVP’s website. I could not find a link to the annual conference or an itinerary. Granted, that would identify the lawmakers since they can only get that money from event organizers if they’re a speaker.

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