LAX Leader

Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl was reportedly seen dining outside at Il Forno Trattoria in Santa Monica. 

Kuehl was seen at the Italian restaurant near her house hours after she voted to ban outdoor dining at over 30,000 restaurants in L.A. County over COVID-19 safety concerns, FOX 11 reported. 

“She did dine al fresco at Il Forno on the very last day it was permissible,” Barbara Osborn, a spokesperson for Kuehl, told FOX 11.  “She loves Il Forno, has been saddened to see it, like so many restaurants, suffer from a decline in revenue. She ate there, taking appropriate precautions, and sadly will not dine there again until our Public Health Orders permit.”

A disappointed local restaurant owner said Kuehl’s action shows “hypocrisy” and “lack of leadership.

"For me, it’s just proof of the continuous hypocrisy and just the lack of leadership and education as to what’s happening right now in this sort of shoo-from-the-hip mentality that’s not doing anybody any good,” Michael Voltaggio told FOX 11.

He also said that “we’re getting direction from people that aren’t really believing in messages they’re making.”

Another establishment owner, Josiah Citrin, who has multiple restaurants across L.A. County was confused by Kuehl’s action.

"I’m like wait a minute, restaurants are so dangerous, but you’re gonna go eat in a restaurant? I mean it just blows me away," Citrin said.