First-term Democrat Rep. Harley Rouda of California was spotted on a private beach in Orange County — even as he supported Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) criticism of communities that kept their beaches open to the public.
Last Thursday, Gov. Newsom ordered a “hard close” of beaches in Orange County, having scolded communities in the county for keeping beaches open to large numbers of people during a heat wave the previous weekend. Local communities argued that most beachgoers had maintained “social distancing,” and resolved to add more law enforcement to beaches while keeping beaches open. That was not good enough for Newsom — or Rouda.
In a statement last Thursday, Rep. Rouda criticized communities that had kept their beaches open: “Opening beaches to thousands of Southern Californians during a weekend heat-wave without adequate social-distancing protocols was a reckless action that put the families of California’s 48th district in harm’s way.”
Lawmakers scramble after Trump derails bid to revive key counterterrorism tool days after FBI thwarts UFC plot
Supreme Court unanimously strikes down gun law used to prosecute Hunter Biden
Jason Whitlock: Gregg Popovich’s ‘Communist’ Politics Gave Spurs Star a ‘Victim’ Mentality
‘I’m Going to Rip Your Teeth Out’: UK Code Enforcement Officer Freaks Out During Mohammed Discussion
Interior Department heralds algae treatment in Reflecting Pool, comparing it to ‘destroyed’ Iranian navy
LDS church celebrates delivering 6.5M meals across all 50 states for America250 anniversary
Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann kept ‘Dexter’-style kill room but wasn’t as smart as he thought: DA
Several Trump-Endorsed Candidates Score Big Primary Wins, One Suffers a Close Loss
Hegseth announces 6-month review of American forces in Europe, blasts NATO allies for putting troops ‘at risk’
MLB accused of ‘double standard’ after calling out players’ Bible messages despite backing BLM in 2020
Race Hustlers Are About to Scream About Police Shooting This Little Boy – Don’t Let Them Start in the Middle of the Story
Iran peace deal inspires little celebration as US banks on ‘good behavior’ and ‘understanding’ from Tehran
Florida couple reaches agreement with daughter’s biological parents after alleged IVF mix-up
Florida court says 18-year-olds have same gun rights as other adults
DHS moves all detainees out of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ amid hurricane concerns
However, Rouda himself was seen on a private beach with his family in Orange County last weekend.
CBS News 2020 campaign reporter Musadiq Bidar broke the story (original emphasis):
Photos obtained first by CBS News show Democratic Congressman Harley Rouda spending time at a private beach in Southern California despite orders from Governor Gavin Newsom to close some public beaches in the area, CBS News campaign reporter Musadiq Bidar reports. Rouda, a first-term Congressman who beat Dana Rohrabacher, represents the 48th district, which encompasses Orange County. Last week Newsom specifically ordered a “hard close” on Orange County beaches after photos showing people not respecting social distancing went viral on social media. Rouda’s campaign manager said in a statement that Rouda and his family “were actively moving and adequately socially distancing on a residential beach, which has explicitly outlined beach access requirements in accordance with Governor Newsom’s beach order.”
Rouda defeated veteran Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) in the 48th congressional district in 2018, basing his campaign in part on accusations that the incumbent was too favorable toward U.S.-Russia relations.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller reported in 2019 that there was no evidence of “collusion” between the Russian government and any American citizen.
Story cited here.
