Former Newsom aide details affair in new essay

Rippey, who was Newsom's appointments secretary at the time, described the affair as a "fracture that split my life into before and after." Newsom, who was single at the time, publicly acknowledged the relationship in 2007, stating that "everything you’ve heard and read is true." However, Rippey's account complicates Newsom's narrative, particularly his claim of informing her husband, Alex Tourk, who was also Newsom's deputy chief of staff and later campaign manager. Rippey suggests she had already taken steps to reveal the affair before Newsom informed Tourk.

Following the public revelation, Rippey entered rehab and left her position. She recounted receiving advice from then-District Attorney Kamala Harris to pause before speaking publicly, a suggestion Rippey found invaluable as she navigated her sobriety and the aftermath. Rippey and her husband eventually divorced. Years later, during the MeToo movement, Rippey re-evaluated the power dynamics in her relationship with Newsom, acknowledging her responsibility while also noting the uneven distribution of consequences due to power imbalances. She is now 20 years sober, remarried, and has rebuilt her relationship with her ex-husband.