Fresno native in COVID-19 debate with Nancy Pelosi. ‘Even she knows it’s safe’
The Fresno native who got caught up in a national political scandal involving House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting a salon said Thursday she was not involved in a setup to embarrass the San Francisco congresswoman.
Erica Kious, who splits time in salons in Fresno and San Francisco, described the sequence of events that led to Pelosi visiting a salon owned by Kious despite local orders that prohibit such services amid the coronavirus.
Kious said she did not plan any of the events and only thought to release video to Fox News after Pelosi’s visit. Kious owns San Francisco salons and works out of Sola Salon Studios in north Fresno.
Kious held a news conference Thursday afternoon over Zoom.
“If a woman in a high-risk age group who spends much of her time on TV warning against the dangers of COVID-19 feels safe and comfortable in a San Francisco salon and can be responsible, cautious and mindful, why can’t the rest of San Francisco and the rest of America do that, too?,” Kious said.
“That was my point,” she said.
Pelosi, 80, is in the age group considered at high risk from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Stylist refutes salon owner
The stylist who did Pelosi’s hair, Jonathan DeNardo, released a statement through his attorney on Wednesday, refuting previous comments from Kious who said the incident was not a setup.
Pelosi, a California Democrat, said Wednesday the salon owes her an apology, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Kious said Thursday she could not have set up Pelosi because she did not communicate with Pelosi. She also said she does not control the actions of the stylists who rent space from her.
Hair salons have been closed in San Francisco since March and were allowed to reopen on Sept. 1 for outdoor services. Indoor services are still not allowed.
Pelosi made mask-wearing mandatory in July for all lawmakers on the chamber floor.
Kious also pushed back at DeNardo’s statements that he felt pressured to continue to work by the salon owner, according to the statement from his attorney. She said her stylists are all adults and make their own decisions.
Kious said she asked DeNardo to speak with Pelosi in an attempt to convince her to let salons open around the country. She said the stylist was “a big fan” of Pelosi.
“I told Jonathan that if Mrs. Pelosi came to the salon and felt safe doing so, he should speak to her about trying to get other salons to open,” Kious said.
“Even she knows it’s safe to go to the salon,” she said.
Pelosi has faced criticism for her unmasked salon visit Monday, including from President Donald Trump.
“It was clearly a setup,” Pelosi said previously. “I take responsibility for falling for a setup by a neighborhood salon I’ve gone to for many years.”
In his statement, DeNardo defended Pelosi and criticized the salon owner.
“The fact that Ms. Kious is now objecting to Speaker Pelosi’s presence at eSalon, and from a simple surface-level review of Ms. Kious’ political leanings, it appears Ms. Kious is furthering a setup of Speaker Pelosi for her own vain aspirations,” he wrote.
The Sacramento Bee contributed to this report.
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 6:41 PM.
