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BEHIND THE STORY: Year of rumors before the bombshell
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/2/7 | Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross

Posted on 02/02/2007 8:40:57 PM PST by SmithL

For more than a year, the affair between San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and the wife of his good friend and campaign manager, Alex Tourk, was a bomb that those around the mayor knew would one day go off.

But it wasn't until last week that the fuse was finally lit, by Tourk's wife herself.

After this week's explosion, people close to the mayor, Tourk and Ruby Rippey-Tourk, revealed what had gone on behind the scenes.

We're told the affair didn't last long -- the mayor has privately said to friends that there were only a couple of encounters. Rumors started making the rounds of City Hall in late 2005, soon after Newsom and Rippey-Tourk were reportedly spotted together in the mayoral town car at a wedding in Napa.

But no firsthand witnesses ever came forward, and the talk receded as Newsom, who was going through a divorce, was spotted with a succession of other women.

The story took on new life last spring when Rippey-Tourk left her job as Newsom's appointments secretary to undergo treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, leaving people to speculate that she had been shipped out before someone started asking questions about her conduct and her relationship with the mayor.

Mayoral staffers and political operatives sensed that they still had a problem on their hands. Several of them, none of whom would speak for attribution, knew that at least some of the rumors were true -- and that, at best, they had just stalled the inevitable.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the whole story was that it stayed secret as long as it did, without even Alex Tourk knowing about it.

Apparently, colleagues kept it from him in part because they didn't want him hurt.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: anytwosomenewsom; belapelosi; cultureofcorruption; democratethics; democratscandals; democrattakeover; lackofcharacter; sanfranciscovalues
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Read the entire article!
1 posted on 02/02/2007 8:41:01 PM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

come on, this is SanFran...It would only be news if he wasn't sleeping with his staff...or their wives...or their pets...or their....


2 posted on 02/02/2007 8:43:54 PM PST by txroadkill
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To: SmithL

Just shows that Gavin possesses the lack the class necessary to be an elected official in SF.


3 posted on 02/02/2007 8:47:52 PM PST by raftguide
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To: raftguide

...and I thought Gavin was supposed to be a queer.


4 posted on 02/02/2007 8:49:48 PM PST by Parley Baer
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To: SmithL
For months, nobody in the San Francisco media reported on the steady stream of rumors coming from the mayor's office. Until tonight, nobody would print anything on Newsom's affair with his aide, Ruby Tourk...

It’s the lies, stupid! Newsom indiscretions were allowed to fester - Fog City Journal staffers Daniela Kirshenbaum and Luke Thomas

Fascinating piece about how the local media looked the other way, though they knew all about it. These kind of stories guide my thinking on how the major media organs "massage" public opinion.

5 posted on 02/02/2007 8:49:57 PM PST by an amused spectator (The 1st Minnesota Regt died fighting a culture which embraced slavery. Think about it, Ellison.)
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To: SmithL

Yea - this is San Fransisco. The scandal is that he was having an affair with a woman.


6 posted on 02/02/2007 8:50:53 PM PST by The Lumster (USA - where the innocent have nothing to fear!)
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To: SmithL
LOL! You gotta love the wide-eyed innocence of the SF Comical staffers - "amazed" at how it all "stayed secret" for as long as it did.

Now, if it would have been Bill Bennett - that would have been a different story... (pun intended)

;-)

7 posted on 02/02/2007 8:55:42 PM PST by an amused spectator (The 1st Minnesota Regt died fighting a culture which embraced slavery. Think about it, Ellison.)
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To: SmithL
Not wanting to hurt Alex Tourk also put the mayor in a bind.

Well, then, if you didn't want to hurt your friend, Mr. Mayor, you shouldn't have had an affair with his wife.

What an idiot. I'm sure he'll be re-elected in a landslide, unless being hetero is a sin in San Fran.

8 posted on 02/02/2007 8:57:50 PM PST by Duke Nukum (Chickens are part of the natural cycle of life, and that is why we play chickenball in the house.)
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To: Parley Baer; raftguide
I thought Gavin was supposed to be a queer.

Perhaps Ms. Rippey-Tourk fell on his sword to convince you otherwise.

9 posted on 02/02/2007 8:57:52 PM PST by Kenny Bunk (Biden, Biden, he's my man, if anyone says it, he soon can!)
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To: SmithL

I don't think "a couple of encounters" count as an affair. More like a quickie.


10 posted on 02/02/2007 8:58:02 PM PST by Williams
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To: ridesthemiles; I_Love_My_Husband

You asked for tidbits???


11 posted on 02/02/2007 8:58:08 PM PST by SmithL (si vis pacem, para bellum)
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To: SmithL

Is this the reason Kimberley Guilfoyle ended their marriage?


12 posted on 02/02/2007 8:59:06 PM PST by Cincinna (HILLARY & HER HINO "We are going to take things away from you for the Common Good")
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To: SmithL

I hope she sues and it cost the city a lot of money. Then we can see if everyone will say its no big deal.


13 posted on 02/02/2007 9:04:43 PM PST by art_rocks
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To: Cincinna
Is this the reason Kimberley Guilfoyle ended their marriage?

Kimberly Guilfoyle, Ruby Rippey-Tourk; the guy is twisted after all. He has a thing for women, but only with weird names.

14 posted on 02/02/2007 9:08:53 PM PST by Albion Wilde (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. -2 Cor 3:17)
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To: SmithL
Not wanting to hurt Alex Tourk also put the mayor in a bind.

But, Alex is crazy about that stuff.

15 posted on 02/02/2007 9:11:55 PM PST by razorback-bert (Posted by Time's Man of the Year)
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To: SmithL

This is San Francisco. There will be no story here until the Gerbils sue for Palimony.


16 posted on 02/02/2007 9:12:39 PM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (Well, it's 2007. Time to get ready for 2008.)
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To: SmithL
Tourk would resign as campaign manager, but continue to be paid his salary out of Newsom's re-election funds until he could find another job.

Re-election funds are so handy .

17 posted on 02/02/2007 9:14:28 PM PST by razorback-bert (Posted by Time's Man of the Year)
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To: raftguide
Just shows that Gavin possesses the lack the class necessary to be an elected official in SF.

It is just a democRAT plus on his resume!

Clinton was put on a pedestal for his out wedlock affairs!!

He can go a long way with his hanky-panky behavior. The Dodd/kennedy sandwich did not hurt them a bit either!!!

18 posted on 02/02/2007 9:15:02 PM PST by danamco
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To: SmithL

How dare him have an affair with the opposite sex!


19 posted on 02/02/2007 9:15:54 PM PST by citizencon
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To: SmithL

Ruby Rippey-Tourk

20 posted on 02/02/2007 9:29:37 PM PST by endthematrix (Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought.)
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