Pelosi’s daughter releases law firm's letter insisting that salon set her mother up

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Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, Christine Pelosi, has released a letter from a law firm representing the California cosmetologist who provided stylist services to the House speaker on Monday during a COVID-19 lockdown. In its letter, the law firm accused the salon owner of engaging in a setup. The letter from attorney Matthew Soleimanpour was on behalf …

In its letter, the law firm accused the salon owner of engaging in a setup.

The letter from attorney Matthew Soleimanpour was on behalf of Jonathan De Nardo, a California Certified Cosmetologist based out of San Francisco, California.

The letter stated:

In response to press inquiries on the matter, Mr. De Nardo can confirm that he indeed did provide professional stylist services to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) on August 31, 2020, at the “eSalon,” located … in San Francisco, California. Mr. De Nardo, at all times, took all requisite safety measures throughout his appointment with Speaker Pelosi, including sanitation of all service areas and wearing of CDC-recommended protective equipment, and thereafter ensured the premises were similarly sanitized following Speaker Pelosi’s departure.
Mr. DeNardo has worked at eSalon for approximately six (6) years and regularly communicates with the salon owner, Erica Kious. In fact, Mr. DeNardo received advance approval from Ms. Kious the day prior to the appointment during a telephone discussion on August 29, 2020 at 9:26 pm, wherein Mr. DeNardo advised Ms. Kious that he would not proceed with Speaker Pelosi’s appointment without Mr. Kious’ authorization. Ms. Kious took special interest in the appointment during this telephone call, wherein she made several vitriolic and incendiary comments about Speaker Pelosi and her purported responsibility for temporarily suspending operations of Ms. Kious’ business, despite such orders actually being put into place not by Speaker Pelosi, but by Governor Gavin Newsome and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Ultimately, Ms. Kious authorized Mr. DeNardo to proceed with Speaker Pelosi’s appointment.
This office is in possession of photographs, videos and witness information that Ms. Kious, contrary to her prior statements to the press, has actually been operating her business during the stay-at-home orders and similar executive orders limiting in-store operations since as far back as April 2020. Ms. Kious is seen on photographs and video footage styling various clients’ hair, ignoring social distancing guidelines, and not wearing protective equipment (masks), as recently as a few days prior to Speaker Pelosi’s arrival at eSalon on August 31, 2020. What’s more, Ms. Kious has also been actively encouraging and almost forcing stylists who operate at eSalon to violate such orders for her own financial benefit in the form of receiving lease payments.
The fact that Ms. Kious is now objecting to Speaker Pelosi’s presence at eSalon, and from a simple surface-level review of Ms. Kious’ political leanings, it appears Ms. Kious is furthering a set-up of Speaker Pelosi for her own vain aspirations. Mr. DeNardo’s name has now been dragged through the mud for simply following Ms. Kious’ recommendations; he wishes to move forward with his efforts to earn an income and asks that his privacy be respected during this time.

The letter comes after an interview that Kious had on Fox News earlier in the evening where she completely dismissed the notion that this was any kind of a setup.

“She had called the stylist, or her assistant did, and made the appointment, so the appointment was already booked, so there was no way I could’ve set that up,” Kious said. “And I’ve had a camera system in there for five years. I mean, I didn’t go in there and turn cameras on as soon as she walked in to set her up. So that’s absolutely false.”

What’s a brief history ?

On Tuesday, reports emerged that Nancy Pelosi requested an appointment at the San Francisco-area salon despite statewide restrictions on such services due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In footage of the visit, Pelosi can be seen in the salon without a mask.

The salon owner said that Pelosi’s visit was a “slap in the face” considering she has been unable to open her salon for months due to lockdown restrictions. The owner also pointed out that the House speaker “feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can’t work.”

Pelosi on Wednesday complained that the salon set her up, and said the owner owes her an apology over the criticism she faced.

“I take responsibility for trusting the word of the neighborhood salon that I’ve been to over the years many times,” Pelosi said. “And that when they said ‘We’re able to accommodate people one person at a time’ and that we can set up that time, I trusted that. As it turns out, it was a setup, so I take responsibility for falling for a setup.”

What are the details?

The letter, from attorney Matthew Soleimanpour, accused eSalon owner Erica Kious of setting up cosmetologist Jonathan De Nardo, Pelosi’s stylist.

A portion of the letter reads, “In response to press inquiries on the matter, Mr. DeNardo can confirm that he indeed did provide professional stylist services to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) on August 31, 2020, at the ‘eSalon,’ located … in San Francisco, California.”

“Mr. DeNardo, at all times, took all requisite safety measures throughout his appointment with Speaker Pelosi, including sanitation of all service areas and wearing of CDC-recommended protective equipment, and thereafter ensured the premises were similarly sanitized following Speaker Pelosi’s departure,” the letter adds.

Soleimanpour adds that DeNardo — who has worked at eSalon for approximately six years — received approval from Kious to book an appointment with Pelosi.

Kious on Wednesday told Fox News that she did not engage in any type of setup at all.

“[Pelosi] had called the stylist, or her assistant did, and made the appointment, so the appointment was already booked, so there was no way I could’ve set that up,” Kious said. “And I’ve had a camera system in there for five years. I mean, I didn’t go in there and turn cameras on as soon as she walked in to set her up. So that’s absolutely false.”

The letter notes, “Ms. Kious took special interest in the appointment during this telephone call, wherein she made several vitriolic and incendiary comments about Speaker Pelosi and her purported responsibility for temporarily suspending operations of Ms. Kious’ business, despite such orders actually being put into place not by Speaker Pelosi, but by Governor Gavin Newsome [sic] and San Francisco Mayor London Breed.”

Despite the alleged remarks, Kious reportedly permitted DeNardo to follow through with styling Pelosi.

“This office is in possession of photographs, videos, and witness information that Ms. Kious, contrary to her prior statements to the press, has actually been operating her business during the stay-at-home orders and similar executive orders limiting in-store operations since as far back as April 2020.”

Anything else?

Such photographs purport to show Kious refusing to follow social distancing requirements as well as refusing to adhere to mask-wearing guidelines.

“What’s more,” the letter continues, “Ms. Kious has also been actively encouraging and almost forcing stylists who operate at eSalon to violate such orders for her own financial benefit in the form of receiving lease payments.”

The letter concludes, “The fact that Ms. Kious is now objecting to Speaker Pelosi’s presence at eSalon, and from a simple surface-level review of Ms. Kious’ political leanings, it appears Ms. Kious is furthering a set-up of Speaker Pelosi for her own vain aspirations.”