SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 29 (Our California Times) — Vanity Fair has published a first-person essay by Ruby Rippey, the former San Francisco City Hall aide who says she had an affair with then-Mayor Gavin Newsom. In the essay, Rippey also writes about alcoholism, recovery and the fallout that followed when the relationship became public in 2007.
The story has drawn fresh attention because it involves two people who were part of California politics at the time: Newsom, who was mayor of San Francisco, and Kamala Harris, who was then the San Francisco district attorney. Rippey’s account ties a private relationship to public offices, a public apology and a long-running political memory in San Francisco.
What Rippey says happened
Rippey says the affair began while she was working at San Francisco City Hall and was married to Alex Tourk, who is described in the reporting as Newsom’s campaign manager, deputy chief of staff or longtime political adviser. The brief does not settle Tourk’s exact title, but it is clear he was part of Newsom’s circle.
The affair became public in 2007. At a news conference that February, Newsom said, “Everything you’ve heard and read is true.” Later accounts also say Tourk resigned after confronting Newsom about the relationship.
Why Kamala Harris is part of the story
One of the most discussed parts of Rippey’s essay is her claim that Harris called her after the affair broke and advised her to stay quiet.
The quote Rippey attributes to Harris is: “I wouldn’t say anything right now, Ruby. Just pause. More time will give you better perspective.”
That detail stands out because Harris was not part of Newsom’s political team. She was the San Francisco district attorney at the time. Rippey is the source for the claim about the call, and the materials reviewed do not provide a separate contemporaneous public record of that conversation.
What the essay says about Rippey herself
Rippey also writes about alcoholism and sobriety. In that sense, the essay is not only about a political scandal. It is also about the personal cost of the episode and the years that followed.
That matters for readers trying to understand the piece. Rippey’s essay is a personal account, not an official investigation or court record. The key events in the scandal are being told through her own recollection.
What is confirmed, and what is still uncertain
The public record confirms that Newsom publicly acknowledged the affair in 2007. The basic outline of the scandal is also clear: Rippey says she had an affair with Newsom while working in City Hall, the affair became public, Tourk resigned, and Rippey later says Harris urged her not to speak right away.
Some details remain less clear in the summaries available. The exact start date of the affair varies across reports, and Tourk’s job title is not described the same way in every account. The claim about Harris’s advice is also Rippey’s recollection of a private call, not a statement backed here by a separate public recording.
For California politics, the significance is straightforward: the essay revives an old scandal involving City Hall, a district attorney’s office and two figures who later became far more prominent in state and national politics.
