Ruby Rippey, who served as appointments secretary to Gavin Newsom during his tenure as San Francisco mayor, has broken her silence on their 2005-2006 extramarital affair.
In her first public comments on the relationship, Rippey described the affair as occurring alongside personal struggles with alcohol and cocaine.
She was married to Alex Tourk, Newsom's former campaign manager, at the time.
Rippey confessed the affair to Tourk in January 2007.
Following the disclosure, Tourk confronted Newsom directly before resigning from his administrative team ahead of public exposure.
Rippey remarked on the dynamic of the relationship, noting that "power does not distribute consequences evenly."
Newsom, currently serving as California governor, previously detailed the affair in his official memoir.
However, Rippey publicly disputed his specific accounting regarding how the information emerged and how the relationship initially originated.
The public statements arrive as Newsom approaches the conclusion of his gubernatorial tenure while facing speculation surrounding a potential presidential bid in 2028.
Representatives from Newsom's office stated that the governor has previously acknowledged his involvement and issued a public apology.
