Gavin Newsom Disappears After Taking COVID Booster Shot

Governor Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., has not been seen in public since he abruptly canceled a trip to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow on Oct. 29 over “family obligations,” Fox News reported.

Newsom press secretary Daniel Lopez said the governor worked at the state Capitol last week and would begin returning sometime this week, according to a statement provided to SFGATE. 

Lopez stressed that the governor’s cancelation was not a result of the COVID-19 booster shot he received during his last public appearance.

“Last week Governor Newsom worked in the Capitol with staff on urgent issues including COVID-19 vaccines for kids, boosters, ports, the forthcoming state budget and California’s continued economic recovery,” Lopez said. “He will have public events this week related to the economy and vaccines.”

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the governor’s wife, addressed the sudden mysterious flake and disappearance by the governor in a weekend tweet that she later deleted.

“It’s funny how certain folks can’t handle truth,” she wrote. “When someone cancels something, maybe they’re just in the office working; maybe in their free time they’re at home with their family, at their kids’ sports matches, or dining out with their wife. Please stop hating and get a life.”

California state senators John Laird and Bob Hertzberg reportedly reacted uncomfortably when asked about the governor’s absence at the Glasgow conference.

“Look, they said it was a family issue,” Hertzberg said, according to a reporter from Cal Matters. “There is no one in California who wanted to be at this conference more than Gavin Newsom. But we’re all human beings, man. I don’t think it’s appropriate to dig further into it.”

Laid said the whole controversy is “overblown.”

California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis stepped in for Newsom at the Glasgow event, posting on Twitter Friday that she felt “energized and hopeful” after leaving the summit.

“It was an honor to lead CA’s delegation & share our success as a global leader in climate action with our international & state partners, tribal nations & the private sector,” she posted.