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Rippey essay revives scandal
Ruby Rippey, a former appointments secretary to Gavin Newsom when he was mayor of San Francisco, published a first-person essay in Vanity Fair describing an affair that began in July 2005 and continued for months before she entered rehab in May 2006.
“Rippey, 54, has spoken previously about her relationship with the now-governor”
The Los Angeles Times says Rippey, 54, wrote that she and Newsom met at his penthouse in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood, at a private back room in a bar in North Beach, and at the W Hotel in Los Angeles.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that in Newsom’s memoir, he wrote, "It was the stupidest and also briefest of affairs," and that he said he came clean to Hilary and to Alex Tourk.
Rippey’s account, as described by the San Francisco Chronicle, also disputes how Newsom characterized the affair, including her claim that Newsom’s version leaves "the unmistakable impression that he, not I, was the one who told Alex the truth."
Apology, power, and Harris
Newsom’s office response, as quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle, came through spokesperson Izzy Gardon, who said the governor "publicly apologized nearly two decades ago when he was still mayor."
The Los Angeles Times also quotes Gardon saying Newsom "does not have anything further to add," while the essay and memoir debate centers on who told Alex Tourk and how the relationship is framed.
Rippey’s writing, as quoted by SFist, argues that "Power does not need to coerce. It only needs to exist," and that "The responsibility to hold the line belongs to the one who holds it."
The Times of India reports that Rippey recalled Kamala Harris advising her to wait, quoting Harris as saying, "I wouldn’t say anything right now, Ruby. Just pause. More time will give you better perspective."
What’s at stake now
The Guardian frames the renewed attention around Newsom’s political trajectory, saying the essay is likely to rekindle interest in the scandal ahead of his widely expected run for the White House in 2028.
“ahead of his widely expected run for the White House in 2028”
The Los Angeles Times notes that the essay arrives as Newsom is wrapping up his final year as California governor and considering a presidential run in 2028, while it also says the affair faced renewed criticism during the 2018 governor’s race.
Rippey’s account, as described by the San Francisco Chronicle, says both she and Newsom were fueled by alcohol and that they take responsibility and are "deeply sorry for hurting Tourk," while the dispute over the memoir’s details remains central to her critique.
NBC Bay Area adds that the Vanity Fair piece comes as Newsom considers plans to run for president of the United States, with Rippey’s story tying the affair to her yearslong battle with alcoholism and her account of how it ultimately ended.
