$300,000 raised for salon owner accused of "setting up" nutty Nancy Pelosi

[Bradley K. Sherman]

The San Francisco hair salon owner that was accused of "setting
up" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week thanked supporters for
their "outpouring" of support in a letter on Tuesday. A
crowdfunding effort for Erica Kious surpassed its $300,000 goal
on Monday, just six days after it began.

"I wish I could personally thank every person who sent me their
prayers, words of encouragement and support, especially at a
time when so many are struggling to make ends meet in their own
lives," Kious wrote in a letter posted Tuesday by the host of
the GoFundMe. She thanked her daughters, their "loving dad," and
her family and friends.

The GoFundMe page claims to be set up by a friend of Kious and
her family. It states, "At the conclusion of this fundraiser,
ALL donations will go directly to Erica to pay off any debts
from the business that she is forced to shut down, expenses to
relocate and reopen in a new location."

Last week, Pelosi faced criticism after surveillance video
surfaced of her visit to eSalon on Union Street in San
Francisco, where she was seen inside without a mask on – which
violated health guidelines in the city during the coronavirus
pandemic. Pelosi responded to the video, calling the visit a
"setup."

Kious denied the claim, while Pelosi's hairstylist backed it.
The video was widely shared on social media, where Pelosi
received backlash.

Salons in San Francisco were allowed to start reopening a day
after Pelosi's visit for outdoor service, according to the
city's health department. Face masks are always required during
approved services and more generally required citywide when
social distancing can't be maintained.

After Pelosi said the salon owed her "an apology for setting
[me] up," Kious said the accusation was "absolutely false,"
claiming she has had her surveillance cameras for five years and
adding that Pelosi's stylist is an independent contractor
renting space in the salon. Kious received support after saying
she had been getting threats and is thinking of relocating her
business.

"I am very humbled and grateful to have received such an
outpouring of kindness, empathy and generosity from people I
don't even know, and from all walks of life and all sides of the
political spectrum," she said in the letter. "It's a powerful
reminder that the common things that bind us all together as
Americans are far more meaningful and lasting than political and
ideological differences that get so much attention and focus."

"Today, on Labor Day, we should all focus on celebrating the
efforts and achievements of hard-working people everywhere," she
continued. "They deserve our respect and appreciation, and they
definitely all deserve an opportunity to get back to work safely
and responsibly. That is all this ever was about."

https://news.yahoo.com/300-000-raised-salon-owner-162908253.html