AKA Gavin Christopher Newsom

Born: 10-Oct-1967
Birthplace: San Francisco, CA

Gender: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Politician
Party Affiliation: Democratic

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Mayor of San Francisco

Millionaire restaurateur turned politican. His father administers the Gordon P. Getty Family Trust, enabling Gavin to count billionaire Gordon Getty as a childhood friend and business partner. Newsom served on San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1998 until 2003, passing laws to criminalize public displays of homelessness. He won a runoff race for mayor in December 2003 against Matt Gonzalez, becoming the city's youngest mayor since John White Geary.

Soon after taking office, Newsom attracted nationwide attention when by fiat he "legalized" gay marriage in the city, spurring the likes of Rosie O'Donnell to appear for previously-forbidden nuptualizations. The issue has proved a divisive one both nationally and within the state. The California Supreme Court annulled the San Francisco marriages that summer, but in 2008 it overturned the state ban, allowing gays to marry. The election of 2008 saw the narrow victory of Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to forbid gay marriage. The court again upheld the proposition, but in this case did not annul the marriages that had been granted in the brief window of statewide legalization.

Newsom's mayoral stamina came into question in early 2005, when he admitted to an extramarital affair with the wife of his campaign manager. His marriage unravelled, and in a fashionable show of self-renewal, Newsom entered a rehab facility for alcoholics. Over the next two years, the mayor was was romantically linked to a string of younger women, before remarrying in his second term. Allegations of substance abuse continued to dog the mayor. In May 2007, an attorney for SF police officers, filing a wrongful termination lawsuit against Newsom, demanded that the mayor answer questions about his alleged cocaine use under oath and on camera. At a press conference in June, the mayor was asked whether he had used cocaine, responding: "The answer to that is absolutely not. It's offensive and it's about as low as it gets. It's about as sleazy as it gets."[1]

Newsom's 2007 reelection campaign relied on largely on voter apathy and an avoidance of televised debate, which proved a winning strategy for the incumbent. During his second term, Newsom began tilting for the governor's mansion, proclaiming his candidacy in April 2009 and advertising it mostly through online media stunts -- a seven hour YouTube video, a million Twitter followers -- which did not translate into fundraising success. In September, Newsom was the subject of a damning hit piece in a local weekly, which saw several of the mayor's former handlers come forward to condemn him:

Seek out the political operatives who once worked closely with Newsom, and you'll find that a number have soured on the mayor. Ask them why, and you'll be bombarded with his alleged character flaws. Among them: "thin-skinned," "disloyal," "friendless," "joyless," "Machiavellian," "craven," and "empty." One will tell you that [political strategist] Eric Jaye was "the best-paid babysitter in California." Several will diagnose Newsom with an acute case of narcissism. [...]

In the end, [strategist Jack] Davis believes Jerry Brown will defeat Newsom, based on character. "I don't think you're gonna find Jerry Brown fucking somebody else's wife," he said.[2]

Newsom ended his campaign at the end of October, and flew to Hawaii to recuperate -- without telling his press secretary, who resigned shortly after.

[2] Ashley Harrell, "The Wrong Stuff", SF Weekly, 4 September 2009.

Father: William Newsom (judge, administrator of Getty Trust, div. 1972)
Mother: Tessa Menzies (div. 1972, d. 2002)
Sister: Hilary Newsom Callan (m. film director Geoff Callan)
Girlfriend: Kelley Phleger (socialite & Getty heir, broken engagement 1997, later m. Don Johnson)
Girlfriend: Jewel (singer, together 1997-98)
Wife: Kimberly Guilfoyle (m. 8-Dec-2001, div. 28-Feb-2005)
Mistress: Ruby Rippey-Tourk (mayoral aide, b. 1973, extramarital affair in 2005)
Girlfriend: Sofia Milos (actress, b. 1965, together 2006)
Girlfriend: Brittanie Mountz (hostess, b. 17-Sep-1986, together Sep-Oct 2006)
Wife: Jennifer Siebel (actress, b. 19-Jun-1974, together since Oct-2006, m. 26-Jul-2008, pregnant with his child)

    High School: Redwood High School, Larkspur, CA
    University: BA Political Science, Santa Clara University (1989)

    Mayor of San Francisco (8-Jan-2004 to present)
    San Francisco Board of Supervisors Marina, Pacific Heights (1996-2004)
    Bill Bradley for President
    Gore 2000
    New Democrat Movement Democratic Leadership Council, Local Elected Officials Network
    World Economic Forum 2009
    Wedding: Jerry Brown and Anne Gust (2005)
    Wedding: Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel (2008)
    Pied pumpkin, peach (4-Nov-1998)
    Irish Ancestry
    Risk Factors: Alcoholism, Dyslexia

Official Website:
http://www.gavinnewsom.com/

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