Despite Fan Criticism, Lisa Vanderpump Stands by Her Decision to Support Tom Sandoval in 'VPR' Season Finale

Lisa Vanderpump is standing behind her decision to handle Tom Sandoval's affair with Raquel Leviss with forgiveness during the season 10 finale of Vanderpump Rules. Lisa told Us Weekly at the Vanderpump Dogs Gala on Thursday, May 18 that she didn't feel like joining the pack in chastising Tom. “I’ve known him for a long time. Of course, I’m condemning what he did. That’s why I said, ‘You’re not a bad person. You just did a bad thing,'” Lisa explained.

While Ariana Madix claimed during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live that Lisa "was a little too nice to" Tom during the finale, Lisa revealed that she felt like Tom was a broken man and didn't want to pile on. "Have I had conversations and held ’em accountable? Yes, I mean, I felt the same way, absolutely, that everybody else did. But at some point, they’re like my children in some way,” Lisa stated.

Lisa has worked with Tom and Scheana Schay since she opened her first Beverly Hills restaurant, Villa Blanca, in 2009, which has only made her feel closer to the cast. She says she screamed at Tom in the past, but "when I saw him, then you’ve gotta try to at least move forward or look for the path forward — even though it was too early to move forward [or] look for the path forward."

During the season 10 finale, Ariana was the first to talk to Lisa after she discovered Tom and Raquel were having an affair. Lisa tried to be a supportive shoulder for Ariana to cry on and assured her that life would get better. Tom later visited Lisa, who disapproved of what he did and how he handled things, but did not scold him. Lisa told him that it wasn't a trusting place anymore and "It looks terrible in retrospect", but when he broke down crying and hyperventilating, she assured him, “You have to stop. It’s going to get better from here on in."