California Sen. Bill Dodd defends trip to Hawaii as virus surges

State Sen. Bill Dodd on Thursday defended his participation in a policy conference this week at a Maui beachfront luxury hotel as the coronavirus surges in California, calling it “business as usual” in his job as a lawmaker.

“I’m not apologizing for going on the trip,” Dodd, a Napa Democrat, said in a telephone call from the Fairmont Kea Lani, where the Independent Voter Project is holding a four-day legislative conference that mixes lawmakers and lobbyists.

The 15th annual event, limited to a third of its regular size, drew fewer than 20 lawmakers from California, Texas and Washington.

Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, scorned the lawmakers for flying out of state for the conference.

“This is ’do as I say, not as I do,” Coupal told the Los Angeles Times. “This is one of the reasons there is a complete disconnect between ordinary citizens in California and the political leadership.”

Dodd acknowledged in the interview with The Press Democrat it is “not a good optic” to be on a free trip to Hawaii, while the governor and state and local public health officials are urging people to avoid nonessential travel and stay home, and that some of his constituents “may be disappointed.” No taxpayer money is being spent on the trip and he said he will report the nonprofit organization’s gift of the cost of the trip on the appropriate financial disclosure forms.

“I knew at some point we’d be talking about it,” said Dodd, whose wife Mary went with him to Maui. But nobody pays attention, he said, when he goes to meetings in places like Portland or Seattle.

State Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, was unsympathetic, referring to the coronavirus pandemic as “the worst public health crisis to hit this nation in over a century,” with horrific consequences to the nation’s health and economy.

“We all must walk our talk, buckle down and do the right thing. Stay home," said McGuire, who did just that.

Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, said travel to Maui at this time is “a real slap in the face to people who are taking this seriously.”

Dodd said he had not violated any public health protocols since Napa County was, when he left home Friday, under the state’s orange community reopening tier for moderate risk of infection and with no prohibition on travel.

On Monday, the day the conference began, Napa was one of 28 more counties state officials pushed back into the purple tier, the highest of four risk levels with the most restrictions on businesses and personal activities. Sonoma County has been stuck in this tightly restricted stage, since late August because of widespread transmission of the coronavirus.

With virus cases exploding, state officials doubled down on Thursday ordering a curfew beginning Saturday in Napa, Sonoma and each of the 41 counties in the purple tier. All but nonessential work and public activities must stop daily between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. until Dec. 21.

The Hawaii conference, focused on ways to safely reopen the economy and the tourism sector, has been “a good learning experience,” Dodd said, noting that it affords Democrat and Republican legislators an opportunity to discuss issues affecting their states.

He stopped short of calling the trip essential, saying there was no need for that determination because there were no prohibitions against it.

Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, also did not go to the conference, his office said, and Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, is not there, either.

The Fairmont hotel gained state and local clearance for the conference, including a mandate that participants must test negative for COVID-19 before leaving the mainland, Dodd said. Attendees are also required to wear masks except when eating or drinking, and even on the beach, Dodd said.

“Every possible safety requirement has been met during the event,” Dan Howle, executive director of the Independent Voter Project, said in an email.

The nonprofit that says it promotes nonpartisan election reform was behind the 2010 ballot measure that established California’s top-two primary election system.

But the group, funded by corporate heavyweights, is best known in Sacramento for spending tens of thousands of dollars each year to bring lawmakers to Maui, according to news reports.

In the interview, Dodd drew a distinction between the controlled legislative event in Hawaii and the 12-person birthday party Gov. Gavin Newsom attended Nov. 6 at the exclusive French Laundry restaurant in Yountville.

The governor apologized on Monday, calling it a “bad mistake“ and admitting he should have left and driven home. He described the dinner as outdoors, but photos emerged Tuesday on Fox 11 in Los Angeles showing Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, sitting maskless around a crowded table of 12 inside a room that was enclosed on three sides.

Staff Writer Kevin Fixler contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Guy Kovner at 707-521-5457 or guy.kovner@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @guykovner.