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California Gov. Gavin Newsom was spotted maskless at the 49ers-Rams NFL game on Sunday — in defiance of a local mask mandate and the stadium’s own requirements.
Newsom, who was previously forced to apologize for breaking his own COVID-19 rules early in the pandemic, posed for a photo with former LA Lakers star Magic Johnson in what appeared to be one of SoFi Stadium’s suites.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and San Francisco Mayor London Breed were also spotted in the suite without masks.
LA County currently has a mask mandate in place for outdoor “mega events” that host more than 5,000 people, regardless of vaccination status. The rules will apply for the Super Bowl matchup that will be hosted at the stadium on Feb. 13, local health officials have said.
Under SoFi Stadium’s policies — which adhere to the local health order — masks are required to be worn at all times except when people are eating or drinking.
The governor and two mayors were not eating or drinking at the time the photos were taken. It wasn’t immediately clear if the trio donned masks at other points throughout the game.
Newsom and the LA County health department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The Democratic governor recently extended his mandate requiring masks in all indoor public settings until Feb. 15.
SoFi Stadium, which is scheduled to host Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, has a roof but is not entirely enclosed — meaning it is classified as an outdoor venue and is not affected by the statewide indoor mask mandate.
The backlash against Newsom was swift after the maskless photos of him surfaced late Sunday.
“Rules for thee, but not for me. Meanwhile our school children have to wear masks for hours on end,” Joseph Sanchez tweeted.
“Where’s the masks? Complete hypocrites!” Bill Smith added.
Newsom has faced harsh criticism during the pandemic for his controversial statewide mask mandate — particularly in relation to children being forced to wear face coverings in California schools.
He was branded a hypocrite and apologized after he was caught attending a lavish dinner party for 12 at a restaurant in Napa in November 2020 — after he scolded residents for socializing during the pandemic.
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