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Gavin Newsom's 2005‑2006 affair with Ruby Rippey detailed in new Vanity Fair essay
Former California governor Gavin Newsom’s decades‑old extramarital affair with Ruby Rippey, who was his appointments secretary while married to his deputy chief of staff Alex Tourk, is recounted in a Vanity Fair essay published on July 28 2026. The essay, titled “How I Blew Up – Then Rebuilt My Life,” describes the affair’s start in the summer of 2005 at a Napa Valley wedding, the subsequent secret meetings, heavy drinking, and Rippey’s struggle with alcoholism and cocaine addiction. It also disputes Newsom’s later memoir claim that he was the first to tell Tourk about the liaison, noting that Rippey had already confided in her husband.
Newsom publicly admitted the affair in a 2007 press conference, saying “Everything you’ve read is true,” and apologized. In 2026 the governor’s office reiterated that apology and declined further comment. The essay also reveals that then‑San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris advised Rippey to remain silent after the scandal broke. The renewed disclosure comes as Newsom is widely seen as a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, prompting renewed scrutiny of his personal history.
Entities
Alex Tourk · Gavin Newsom · Jennifer Siebel Newsom · Kamala Harris · Ruby Rippey · Vanity Fair
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] At the time of the affair, Ruby Rippey was married to Alex Tourk, a deputy chief of staff for Gavin Newsom. pulptastic.com · www.ms.now · nypost.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Newsom’s office declined to comment further on the 2026 essay. pulptastic.com · www.ms.now · nypost.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] Gavin Newsom publicly admitted to the affair in a 2007 press conference, saying “Everything you’ve read is true.” pulptastic.com · www.ms.now · nypost.com · www.theguardian.com · www.mandatory.com · +4 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The affair between Ruby Rippey and Gavin Newsom began in summer 2005 at a Napa Valley wedding while Rippey was married to Alex Tourk. pulptastic.com · www.ms.now · nypost.com · www.theguardian.com · www.mandatory.com · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Ruby Rippey published a Vanity Fair essay titled “How I Blew Up – Then Rebuilt My Life” on July 28 2026. pulptastic.com · www.ms.now · nypost.com · www.theguardian.com · www.mandatory.com · +5 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Kamala Harris contacted Ruby Rippey in 2007 and advised her to keep quiet about the affair. pulptastic.com · www.ms.now · www.theguardian.com · time.news · wltreport.com · +1 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The affair ended in May 2006, after which Ruby Rippey entered rehab. www.theguardian.com · www.mandatory.com · time.news · www.latimes.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] In 2026 the governor’s office issued a statement reaffirming Newsom’s 2007 apology and declining further comment. www.theguardian.com · www.mandatory.com · wltreport.com · keyt.com · www.lifezette.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] Newsom’s memoir “Young Man in a Hurry” claims he “came clean” to Alex Tourk about the affair. www.theguardian.com · www.mandatory.com · time.news · www.latimes.com · wltreport.com · +1 more