Elected Leaders Converge For 'Reopen Cal Now' Conference: 'I'm Fighting For Our Way Of Life'
RANCHO MURIETA (CBS13) — A three-day in-person conference kicked off Friday in Rancho Murieta with keynote speaker Congressman Tom McClintock.
"By the way for those of you who can't see it, the mask says, 'this mask is as useless our Governor,'" said McClintock.
Dubbed a non-partisan conference and in-person but following health safety guidelines, elected leaders from across California converged at the Murieta Equestrian Center for Reopen Cal Now. Co-host Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost says the 44,000 square foot outdoor arena allows for social distancing and proper health safety guidelines.
"This is the message we're telling people: We need to open up right now, but we can do it safely," said Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Hewitt.
Hewitt says reopening couldn't come soon enough. An elected leader in southern California where ICU capacity has plummeted to zero percent for weeks on end, forcing tight restrictions to remain in place, Hewitt says it's critical things start to open back up safely.
"What are the impacts going to be a year and a half from now when home prices tumble because no one can afford them? And for a county, that's where we get most of our revenue," said Hewitt.
The tagline of the conference is "COVID is real but they aren't telling you the whole story." Frost says it brings economists and medical experts together to get information that's not getting out to the public.
"Extraordinary medical people who have told me that they have multiple clinical trials that are treating COVID, reducing hospitalizations and reducing deaths and they cannot get the media to cover it," said Frost.
The next step is protesting at the State Capitol on Saturday.
"I'm fighting for our way of life and coming together and having a conversation and getting everyone at the table is the American way of life," said Frost.
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