Secret advice Kamala Harris gave Gavin Newsom’s ex-lover after affair scandal broke

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former mistress Ruby Rippey described their fling in an explosive tell-all Vanity Fair piece on Tuesday — and revealed how another California political player, Kamala Harris, played a role.

The scandal, when it was publicly revealed in 2007, nearly caused Newsom’s downfall early in his political career as then-mayor of San Francisco.

Newsom famously confessed the ordeal to the public in a stunning press conference that same year. At the time of the affair, Rippey was married to Newsom’s close friend and top aide Alex Tourk.

Rippey’s recounting of her side of the story comes as Newsom is expected to run for the White House in 2028. The governor has since embraced the admission that the affair was one of the worst errors of his life.

“It was the stupidest and also briefest of affairs,” Newsom wrote in his memoir earlier this year.

Rippey explained the reason her tell-all was delayed to 2026 is because former Vice President Harris — also another top contender for the White House in 2028 — got in touch with her after news of the affair broke in 2007.

Harris, who was then San Francisco’s district attorney, called Rippey, who said at the time she was broke, unemployed and considering a memoir offer. When Harris called, Rippey said she told her to stay silent for now.

“‘I wouldn’t say anything right now, Ruby,’” Harris allegedly told her. “‘Just pause. More time will give you better perspective.’”

“It turns out to be the best advice I received,” Rippey wrote on that call.

The California Post reached out to Harris’ office for comment.

Rippey did take that advice diligently, practically staying quiet for two decades. When she broke her silence Tuesday, the political situation had dramatically changed.

Newsom now leads California as governor, and Harris most recently was vice president of the United States. Both of them, once local figures in San Francisco politics, could be on course for a clash with each other to secure the Democratic nomination for president in 2028.

Early presidential polls show the two consistently leading the rest of the pack of Dem hopefuls.

Newsom’s office said in a statement the governor is focused on serving Californians.

“He addressed this chapter of his life, including in his memoir, and out of respect for everyone involved, does not have anything further to add,” the office said.

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