The mayor of a southern Texas city apologized for breaching her own stay-at-home order after an image surfaced on social networks of her at a nail hair salon.
The trip Tuesday by Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames to the closed beauty salon has stimulated an examination by the district lawyer.
In the image, the mayor is seen wearing a face mask as she’s seated at a table with her hands in a bowl of water. According to NBC affiliate KBMT in Beaumont, the photo was taken at The Nail Bar.
Numerous calls by NBC News to the salon on Saturday were not instantly returned.
Let our news satisfy your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday early mornings.
The picture stimulated backlash from individuals who criticized the mayor for disobeying her order in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, Ames issued an apology stating she had a “lapse in judgment.”
” I promise there was no malice planned,” she composed in a declaration. “I should never have actually entered the beauty salon last Tuesday. I did not intend to take individual privilege while asking others to compromise and for that I am really remorseful.”
Ames concluded by requesting forgiveness. “As a chosen official I am held to a greater standard, I regret my action that day. I am honestly sorry and I hope that you will forgive me,” she stated.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a stay-at-home order and closed all excessive companies, consisting of nail beauty salons, on April 2. Mayor Ames had provided a similar order for her city a week previously, on March 27.
The mayor told KBMT that she went to the beauty parlor after talking with the owner about how to remove an old manicure set. Ames stated she needed acetone and the owner said she would leave some for the mayor.
Instead, the owner left the service in a bowl inside the beauty salon. Ames stated she was just there for about 10 minutes and did not get her nails re-done. The owner informed the outlet that surveillance video supports the mayor’s story.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and the Jefferson County District Lawyer’s Workplace are examining the incident, according to KBMT.
” We are examining to figure out if there was an offense,” District Lawyer Bob Wortham said.
Tela Mange, a spokesperson for the state’s licensing and regulation department, stated that if it is determined that an infraction occurred their findings will be turned over to the firm’s district attorney. If the district attorney agrees, a fine of up to $1,000 might be imposed.
Minyvonne Burke is a breaking news press reporter for NBC News.
