GoFundMe for owner of salon visited by Nancy Pelosi raises more than $115,000 in 24 hours after she was forced to close the business down due to death threats

A GoFundMe campaign set up to help the owner of the salon visited by Nancy Pelosi has raised more than $115,000 in just 24 hours. 

Erica Kious, the owner of eSalon SF, said she has received death threats in the wake of exposing the House Speaker's trip to her business on Monday.  After footage of the Democrat's trip went viral a day later Kious told Tucker Carlson Wednesday that her business was 'done'. 

Now a fundraiser - set up by former Nevada State GOP chairman Amy Tarkanian - has raised $115,125 as of Thursday evening to help Kious 'to pay off any debts from the business that she is forced to shut down, expenses to relocate and reopen in a new location'. 

Pelosi has said she was set up by the salon she visited on Monday, where video footage showed her getting her hair done while not wearing a face mask. Her stylist defended the speaker, suggesting the owner of eSalon had deliberately set up Pelosi and had authorized the controversial hair appointment. 

But Kious has denied that, telling Fox News: '[Pelosi] had called the stylist, or her assistant did, and had made the appointment so the appointment was already booked so there was no way I could have set that up.

'And I've had a camera system in there for five years, I mean I didn't go in there and turn cameras on as soon as she walked in and set her up so that's absolutely false.'  

On Thursday a tearful Kious again denied setting up Pelosi, adding: 'In fact, not only did I not set her up, her assertion that she is a victim and set up is totally false and outrageous.'

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A GoFundMe campaign set up to help Erica Kious, pictured, has raised more than $115,000 in just 24 hours. Kious, the owner of the e Salon SF, said she has received death threats in the wake of exposing the House Speaker's trip to her business on Monday

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Pelosi is drawing criticism for patronizing a hair salon to get her hair done despite the salon being closed to in-person visits due to COVID-19 restrictions

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A fundraiser - set up by former Nevada State GOP chairman Amy Tarkanian - has raised $115,125 as of Thursday evening to help Kious 'to pay off any debts from the business that she is forced to shut down, expenses to relocate and reopen in a new location'

San Francisco beauty parlors weren't supposed to open until September 1, the day after the speaker had her treatment. Additionally, the California Department of Public Health requires face masks to be worn in public indoor places. 

The fundraising campaign to help single mom-of-two Kious was set up by Tarkanian, according to The Washington Examiner. 

Her husband Danny has run for public office, gaining the support of Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle who spoke at a 2018 fundraiser in support of the then Republican congressional candidate. 

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The fundraising campaign to help Kious was set up by Tarkanian, according to The Washington Examiner; her husband Danny has run for public office. The couple are pictured in 2018 

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Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle tweeted about the incident 

SF salon owner says claim Pelosi was set up is 'outrageous'

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Amy Tarkanian, who hopes to raise $300,00 for her friend of 20 years, wrote on the fundraising page: 'Erica Kious, a single mother of two and owner of eSalon, where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi got her hair done on Monday, is now being forced to shut down and relocate her business and family due to outrage and threats she is receiving.

'A maskless House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited eSalon on Monday afternoon for a wash and blow-out, despite local ordinances keeping salons closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

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Jonathan DeNardo, the San Francisco cosmetologist who did Pelosi's hair before the city allowed salons to operate again, released a statement through his lawyer on Wednesday

'I have been friends with Erica and her family for roughly 20 years and wanted to help. Thank you for taking the time to do the same. She is overwhelmed by the flood of support and is grateful for those who are willing to speak out and stand up along her side.' 

Earlier Thursday Donald Trump mocked Pelosi, calling her 'crazy' and asking why a speaker could be 'so easily set up?'

Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany came out swinging at the top of her press briefing on Thursday, playing on a loop the footage showing Pelosi in the salon - hair wet, face mask around her neck - as she blasted the Speaker, accusing her of holding up negotiations on another round of coronavirus relief legislation to get her hair done. 

Pelosi held a press conference in San Francisco on Wednesday to address her controversial visit, saying: 'I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighborhood salon I've been to over the years many times, and when they said we're able to accommodate people, one person at a time, and that we can set up that time, I trusted that. As it turns out, it was a setup,' she said. 

'It was a set up, and I take responsibility for falling for a setup,' she added. 

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White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds a briefing at the White House while a video of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi plays in the background Thursday 

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San Francisco beauty parlors weren't supposed to open until September 1, the day after the speaker had her treatment. Additionally, the California Department of Public Health requires face masks to be worn in public indoor places

'I just had my hair washed. I don't wear a mask when I'm washing my hair. Do you wear a mask when you're washing your hair? I always wear a mask,' Pelosi said. 'And that picture is when I just came out of the bowl.' 

Jonathan DeNardo, the San Francisco cosmetologist who did Pelosi's hair before the city allowed salons to operate again, released a statement through his lawyer on Wednesday. 

'The fact that Ms. Kious is now objecting to Speaker Pelosi's presence at eSalon, and from a simple surface-level review of Ms. Kious' political leanings, it appears Ms. Kious is furthering a set-up of Speaker Pelosi for her own vain aspirations,' the statement read. 

'Ultimately, Ms. Kious authorized Mr. DeNardo to proceed with Speaker Pelosi's appointment;, it added.