Sarah Sanders Was Asked to Leave a VA Restaurant
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave a Virginia restaurant Friday evening, sparking a controversy that's left the small-town eatery with thousands of angry Yelp reviews.
Huckabee Sanders arrived at Lexington, Virginia's The Red Hen as one of a party of eight reserved in her husband's name, but was asked to leave due to her work for the Trump administration. Later, the press secretary tweeted that she'd complied with the restaurant owner's request:
Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so
- Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 23, 2018
The owner, Stephanie Wilkinson, told The Washington Post that she normally keeps her business free of politics, but that she couldn't abide Huckabee Sanders's patronage because the press secretary serves an "inhumane and unethical" administration.
"I’m not a huge fan of confrontation," Wilkinson told The Post. "I have a business, and I want the business to thrive. This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals."
Wilkinson said that Huckabee Sanders reacted politely, and that the rest of her party left the restaurant willingly, despite being invited to say. They offered to pay for the food they'd already been served, but Wilkinson comped their appetizers.
The press secretary's father, former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, quickly came to his daughter's defense.
Bigotry. On the menu at Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington VA. Or you can ask for the “Hate Plate”. And appetizers are “small plates for small minds” https://t.co/rHEVdcQwwh
- Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 23, 2018
Huckabee's disdain for Wilkinson's "bigotry" couldn't be more ironic, given the fact the he had tweeted an extremely racist joke earlier that exact day.
Nancy Pelosi introduces her campaign committee for the take back of the House. pic.twitter.com/yKDhkVubck
- Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 23, 2018
While the right decried the restaurant's refusal to serve Huckabee Sanders, some on the left pointed out that many conservatives are just fine with business owners turning away customers-if the customers are gay, that is.
But it’s okay if the owner didn’t want to bake a cake for a gay couple? https://t.co/4wPFzPZPpm
- Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) June 23, 2018
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