Salon Owner Accused of Pelosi “Setup” Gets 300k from Crowdfunding

• Over $300,000 has been raised by a GoFundMe page that was created in support of the salon owner accused of “setting up” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
• Erica Kious, the owner of eSalon, expressed her gratitude for everyone who supported her despite political differences.
• The proceeds will reportedly help Kious “pay off any debts” and “reopen in a new location.”

A GoFundMe page for the salon owner accused of “setting up” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has raised over $300,000 as of Monday.

Erica Kious, the owner of eSalon, expressed her gratitude in a letter shared by the page creator on Tuesday.

Kious wrote, “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.”

The GoFundMe page had surpassed its goal only six days after it was created.

According to the GoFundMe page, a friend of Kious and her family set up the page to help Kious “pay off any debts from the business that she is forced to shut down, expenses to relocate and reopen in a new location.”

Pelosi had faced backlash last week after leaked salon footage showed her inside the salon without a face mask. According to San Francisco guidelines, indoor services that force customers to take off their masks are not allowed.

Pelosi has since claimed that she was “set up” by the salon, a claim that was supported by the stylist who did her hair.

Kious denied the claim. She said that the salon had surveillance cameras for five years and that the stylist was an independent contractor who simply rented the salon space for Pelosi’s appointment.

Kious then declared that she was thinking of relocating her business after she reportedly received a number of threats.

After receiving news of the GoFundMe page’s success, Kious expressed her gratitude for receiving “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 added, “Today, on Labor Day, we should all focus on celebrating the efforts and achievements of hard-working people everywhere. 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.”

Source: CBS News