SAN FRANCISCO, CA. (THECOUNT) — Ruby Rippey, the former secretary and mistress of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, is speaking publicly about their affair nearly two decades later, revealing how the relationship developed during Newsom’s tenure as mayor of San Francisco and sharing advice she says she received from former Vice President Kamala Harris after the scandal became public.
San Francisco is located in Northern California and served as the backdrop for one of the state’s most high-profile political scandals when Newsom admitted in 2007 that he had engaged in an extramarital affair with Rippey, who was then married to his close friend and campaign manager, Alex Tourk.
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In a new essay published by Vanity Fair, Rippey writes that professional boundaries began to erode while she worked for Newsom. She said she would monitor his schedule and arrange encounters that would eventually lead to private meetings at various locations, including Newsom’s Russian Hill penthouse, a private room at a North Beach bar and a hotel in Los Angeles.
Rippey described the relationship as being fueled not by romance, but by her struggles with alcohol and cocaine addiction, as well as the intoxicating nature of proximity to political power and feeling personally chosen by one of California’s rising political figures.
At the time of the affair, Rippey was married to Tourk, who later confronted Newsom after learning of the relationship and subsequently resigned from his position as campaign manager.
Newsom publicly admitted the affair in 2007 and issued an apology. A spokesperson for Newsom recently told TMZ that the governor addressed the matter nearly two decades ago and has nothing further to add out of respect for those involved.
“The Governor acknowledged his role and publicly apologized nearly two decades ago when he was still mayor,” the spokesperson said. “In the time since, he met his wife, started a family and has focused on serving Californians.”
Rippey said she entered rehabilitation for substance abuse in May 2006 and ended the relationship before ultimately confessing the affair to Tourk in January 2007.
According to Rippey, Harris, who was serving as San Francisco’s district attorney at the time, contacted her after the scandal became public. Rippey said she had been considering publishing a memoir and was facing financial difficulties when Harris advised her to remain silent temporarily.
“I wouldn’t say anything right now, Ruby,” Harris allegedly told her. “Just pause. More time will give you better perspective.”
Rippey said she followed that advice and largely stayed out of the public eye for years. She now says she accepts responsibility for her role in the affair while acknowledging the imbalance of power that existed in their working relationship.
Nearly 20 years later, Rippey says she has maintained her sobriety, remarried and remains on good terms with Tourk, whom she described as family.
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