Ruby Rippey-Gibney, the former San Francisco City Hall employee who had an affair with Gavin Newsom while he served as mayor, is reportedly preparing to tell the story of their relationship in greater detail.
According to reports, Rippey-Gibney is expected to discuss the controversy in an upcoming Vanity Fair article. Although she has commented publicly on the affair before, the planned piece could provide her most extensive account of the episode and its impact on the people involved.
Rippey-Gibney served as Newsom’s appointments secretary at San Francisco City Hall from 2004 until 2006. Their relationship began in 2005, when she was married to Alex Tourk, Newsom’s close friend and campaign manager. Newsom was separated from his first wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle, at the time, although their divorce had not yet been finalized.
The affair became public in early 2007 after Tourk learned about the relationship and resigned from Newsom’s political operation. Newsom subsequently admitted what happened during a public appearance, apologized to those he had hurt and described his conduct as a serious personal failure.
The scandal created a major political controversy in San Francisco but did not end Newsom’s career. He remained mayor, later served as California’s lieutenant governor and was elected governor in 2018.
