California Governor Gavin Newsom has addressed claims made by Ruby Rippey-Gibney, his former mistress, in a new tell-all essay published Tuesday in Vanity Fair. Rippey-Gibney details their affair, which began in 2005 when Newsom was the mayor of San Francisco.
In response to the essay, Newsom's office stated, "The governor acknowledged his role and publicly apologized for his conduct nearly two decades ago when he was still mayor. In the time since, he met his wife, started a family and has focused on serving Californians." The statement also added, "He addressed this chapter of his life, including in his memoir, and out of respect for everyone involved, does not have anything further to add."
The affair resurfaced publicly nearly two decades ago, at a time when Newsom was still married to Kimberly Guilfoyle, who now serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Greece. Rippey-Gibney was married to Newsom's close friend and top aide, Alex Tourk, at the time of the affair.
Rippey-Gibney's essay recounts that the affair started in 2005 after she had broken her sobriety at a wedding. She describes an encounter with Newsom that led to her waking up the following morning in an unfamiliar state. The scandal nearly derailed Newsom's political career in its early stages, prompting a public confession from him at the time.