(Headline USA) After facing criticism for violating his own mask mandate at last weekend’s NFL game, Los Angeles Democrat Mayor Eric Garcetti tried to defend his actions by saying he held his breath while his mask was off.
“I think we should focus on what’s real,” Garcetti said on Wednesday. “I wore my mask the entire game. And when people ask for a photograph, I hold my breath.”
“There’s a 0% chance of infection from that,” he added.
Garcetti was one of several California Democrat politicians seen maskless in Inglewood stadium, where attendees are required to wear masks while not eating or drinking. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breed were also maskless.
Hanging out at SoFi Stadium today! pic.twitter.com/XfotiRLGz9
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 31, 2022
Garcetti then went on to stress the importance of COVID precautions ahead of the Feb. 13 Super Bowl game in Los Angeles.
“I’ll continue wearing my mask at every game and I’ve been proud to be at every single game. It’s funny, on the way out I had friends who said, ‘You seem like the only guy who was wearing the mask the entire game,'” Garcetti said.
Newsom has also tried to defend his maskless picture with NBA star Magic Johnson, claiming it was the only time he took his mask off.
“I was very judicious yesterday. Very judicious,” he said. “And you’ll see in the photo that I did take, where Magic was kind enough, generous enough to ask me for a photograph, and in my left hand’s the mask and I took a photo.
“The rest of the time, I wore it as we all should,” he bleated. “Not when I had a glass of water or a thing. And I encourage everybody else to do so. And that’s it.”
