California conservatives will hold conference featuring Bannon despite coronavirus concerns

OAKLAND - The coronavirus has closed schools and knocked pro sports out of commission.

But not the California Republican Assembly.

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The conservative group plans to soldier on with a conference of more than 200 next weekend in Tulare County that includes former White House adviser Steve Bannon and indicted former Trump aide George Papadopoulos on topics that include "the Deep State."

As California organizations cancel meetings left and right and the World Health Organization has labeled the Covid-19 spread a pandemic, CRA Executive Director Carl Brickey said that the group will take plenty of precautions to protect members, but dubbed the response to the coronavirus "an overreaction."

"What's going to happen when we truly have a public health crisis?" he asked in an interview. "People will just go, 'Oh jeez,' and they won't take it seriously."

Bannon is billed as the keynote speaker Saturday night at the events planned at the Visalia Lamp Liter Inn, where as many as 225 will attend the gathering of the California Republican Assembly of Tulare County, the home base of Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.). Papadopoulos, who served time for lying to the FBI, and who just mounted an unsuccessful bid for Congress, will address the group Friday about his book, "Deep State Target."

Brickey said Friday that the grassroots group is aware of Gov. Gavin Newsom's call to end gatherings of more than 250 and will advise older members and those with serious health conditions to "use your best judgment" in attending.

But canceling the event "not something we'd consider ... because we don't see, in this case, it's warranted at this time," Brickey said.

Many CAR members are eager to hear directly from Bannon and Papadopoulos, he said, and also "have historical perspective'' having lived through past outbreaks of SARS and swine flu. Specifically with regard to coronavirus, many "take this in stride and say it's another public health concern,'' but not one that should impede their daily lives unless medically indicated, he said.

A spokesperson for the administration said that the governor's recent order to close meetings of 250 or more is "guidance, not an edict" aimed at protecting public safety, and groups like the CAR should "use their best judgment" regarding smaller gatherings. The governor advised groups to maintain 6 feet of distance between people if they must gather.

Brickey said the group will have a dinner to hear Bannon's speech, but has scheduled its event in a facility that fits 300, which will allow attendees "social distancing" to spread out and perhaps seat only six people at tables instead of 10. He also said "we'll have ample amounts of hand sanitizers and tissues."

Tulare County has not imposed its own order on gatherings, but it did forward Newsom's guidelines to organizations urging the cancellation of gatherings with more than 250 people and social distancing at events with fewer people, according to Tulare County Public Health spokesperson Tammie Weyker-Adkins.

Santa Clara County, which has had the most confirmed cases of any California county, on Friday announced the strictest policy in the state. The county has banned gatherings of 100 or more people under threat of criminal penalty.

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