Ruby Rippey, the woman whose affair with then-Mayor Gavin Newsom sparked a 2007 California political scandal, has come forward to share her side of the story. In a recent essay, Rippey detailed the encounter step-by-step, revealing the role former Vice President Kamala Harris played in advising her after the affair became public.

Affair and Aftermath

Rippey, who was married to Newsom’s campaign manager at the time, Alex Tourk, and served as the mayor’s appointments secretary, began the affair while working at City Hall. The encounters included sitting in a hot tub together, spending nights in hotel rooms, and visiting his Russian Hill penthouse. Rippey described waking up beside Newsom the next morning, noting that while the encounters continued for months, they were fueled by addiction and status.

Rippey claims that after the affair became public, Harris, who was then the San Francisco District Attorney, privately advised her to ‘pause’ and refrain from public comment or taking a book deal. Rippey notes that she entered into the affair willingly but later realized the power imbalance may have played a role in the ordeal.

Power Imbalance and Advice

Rippey’s essay chronicles her battle with alcoholism, the eventual breakdown in her marriage, and her journey to sobriety. She questions how Newsom’s team framed the affair in his memoir, claiming that Newsom’s book wrongly gives him credit for a confession she had already made. When she asked a Newsom advisor if the governor ‘tells the truth’ in the book, he responded, ‘Well, we all remember things differently, don’t we, Ruby?’

The affair erupted publicly shortly after, prompting Newsom to admit to the affair during a 2007 news conference and subsequently announce he would seek treatment for alcohol abuse. Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s team and Harris’ team for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.