Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Gavin Newsom

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Gavin Newsom.

Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving as the 40th governor of California since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, his political career includes serving as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019. Prior to that, he was the 42nd mayor of San Francisco, holding the office from 2004 to 2011.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2000: Contributed to Republican Slate Mailer

Gavin Newsom faced attacks for contributing $500 to a Republican slate mailer in 2000 that endorsed issues he supported.

2000: Reelected to Represent Second District

In 2000, Gavin Newsom was reelected to represent the second district, and he paid $500 to the San Francisco Republican Party to appear on the party's endorsement slate.

August 2004: Supreme Court Annulment of Same-Sex Marriages

In August 2004, the Supreme Court of California annulled the same-sex marriages that Gavin Newsom had authorized as they conflicted with existing state law.

2005: Affair with Ruby Rippey-Tourk

In 2005, Gavin Newsom had an affair with Ruby Rippey-Tourk, who was Newsom's appointments secretary at the time. This affair led to the resignation of Alex Tourk in 2007.

January 31, 2007: Alex Tourk's Resignation

On January 31, 2007, Alex Tourk, Gavin Newsom's campaign manager and former chief of staff, confronted him after learning about Newsom's affair with Tourk's wife, Ruby Rippey-Tourk, which occurred in 2005. Tourk immediately resigned.

May 2012: Launch of The Gavin Newsom Show and Sacramento Criticism

In May 2012, Gavin Newsom began hosting "The Gavin Newsom Show" on Current TV. During the same month, he faced criticism for describing Sacramento as "dull" and stating he was only there once a week, expressing a lack of reasons to be there otherwise.

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2012: Voters Upheld Capital Punishment

In 2012, California voters upheld capital punishment.

2016: Voters Upheld Capital Punishment and Agreed to Move Condemned Inmates

In 2016, California voters upheld capital punishment and agreed to move the condemned to other prisons.

February 24, 2017: Letter to Trump Administration on Cannabis Enforcement

On February 24, 2017, Gavin Newsom responded to pro-enforcement statements by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer by sending a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and President Donald Trump, urging them not to increase federal enforcement against recreational cannabis firms in California.

2018: Rippey-Tourk's Statement on #MeToo

In 2018, Ruby Rippey-Tourk stated that she believed it was wrong to associate Gavin Newsom's behavior during their affair with the #MeToo movement.

2018: Fire That Destroyed the Town of Paradise

In 2018, a fire destroyed the town of Paradise, where at least eight evacuees burned to death in their vehicles.

March 13, 2019: Moratorium on the Death Penalty

On March 13, 2019, Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on the death penalty in California, preventing any executions while he remained governor. This action also led to the withdrawal of the state's lethal injection protocol and the closure of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

June 2019: Newsom Apologizes for Genocide of Native Americans

In June 2019, Gavin Newsom apologized to California's Native American community for the genocide of Native Americans approved and abetted by the California state government in the 19th century.

August 2019: Newsom Apologizes for Ethnic Studies Curriculum Draft

In August 2019, Gavin Newsom unconditionally apologized to California's Jewish community for a controversial ethnic studies draft curriculum that omitted the experience of Jews in America and sometimes criticized Israel.

September 2019: Veto of SB 1

In September 2019, Gavin Newsom vetoed SB 1, which would have preserved environmental protections at the state level that were set to roll back nationally under the Trump administration's environmental policy.

December 2019: Parole Granted to Cambodian Refugee

In December 2019, Gavin Newsom granted parole to a Cambodian refugee who had been held in a California prison due to a murder case, though the refugee was later turned over for possible deportation upon release.

2019: CalMatters Analysis of Political Positions

In 2019, a CalMatters analysis found Gavin Newsom's political positions to be more moderate than those of almost every Democratic state legislator in California.

January 2020: False Claims About Wildfire Treatment

In January 2020, Gavin Newsom and Cal Fire falsely claimed that 90,000 acres of land at risk for wildfires had been treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns.

February 21, 2020: Introduction of Recall Petition

On February 21, 2020, a recall petition was introduced against Gavin Newsom by Orrin Heatlie, citing grievances such as the sanctuary state policy and concerns about homelessness and taxes.

June 10, 2020: Approval of Recall Petition for Circulation

On June 10, 2020, the California secretary of state officially approved the recall petition against Gavin Newsom for circulation, allowing the collection of signatures to proceed.

August 2020: Signature Verification Update

By August 2020, 55,000 signatures had been submitted and verified by the secretary of state for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom.

September 2020: Signing of Transgender Inmate Bill

In September 2020, Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law allowing California transgender inmates to be placed in prisons that correspond with their gender identity, subject to management and security concerns. This law later faced a lawsuit from the Women's Liberation Front.

October 2020: Signature Verification Update

By October 2020, an additional 890 valid signatures had been submitted for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom.

November 2020: The French Laundry Event

In November 2020, Gavin Newsom's attendance at a party at The French Laundry, despite his public health measures, led to increased support for the recall effort.

November 17, 2020: Initial Deadline for Recall Petition Signatures

November 17, 2020, marked the initial deadline for the submission of signatures for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom. However, the deadline was later extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Enactment of Stringent Pandemic Restrictions

In 2020, the Newsom administration enacted some of the country's most stringent pandemic restrictions.

January 2021: Low Vaccination Rates

By January 2021, California had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, having used only about 30% of its available vaccines.

January 2021: Unemployment Benefit Mismanagement

In January 2021, the Los Angeles Times reported that Gavin Newsom's administration had mismanaged $11.4 billion by disbursing unemployment benefits to ineligible claimants, with another $19 billion under investigation for fraud. Legitimate claimants faced lengthy delays.

February 2021: Approval Rating Decline

In February 2021, Gavin Newsom's approval rating dropped to 46%, with a 48% disapproval rate, attributed to public opinion of his management of the pandemic.

March 17, 2021: Extended Deadline for Recall Petition Signatures

March 17, 2021, was the extended deadline for submitting signatures for the recall petition against Gavin Newsom, granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between November 2020 and March 17, 2021, approximately 98% of the final signature total was submitted.

May 2021: Death Rate Ranking

By May 2021, despite stringent pandemic restrictions, California had the 29th-highest death rate among all 50 states.

June 10, 2021: Criticism of Judge Roger Benitez

On June 10, 2021, Gavin Newsom criticized federal Judge Roger Benitez, calling him "a stone cold ideologue" and "a wholly owned subsidiary of the gun lobby of the National Rifle Association" after Benitez struck down California's ban on assault weapons. Newsom also proposed legislation to empower private citizens to enforce the ban after the Supreme Court declined to strike down the Texas Heartbeat Act.

June 23, 2021: Report on False Claims

On June 23, 2021, CapRadio reported that Gavin Newsom and Cal Fire had falsely claimed in January 2020 that 90,000 acres of land at risk for wildfires had been treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns, when the actual treated area was much smaller.

2021: Unemployment Debt

By the summer of 2021, California owed $23 billion to the federal government for unemployment benefits paid out during the pandemic, representing 43% of all unemployment debt owed by 13 states.

2021: Donation from Connie Ballmer to Newsom's Campaign

In 2021, Connie Ballmer, wife of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, donated $1 million to the Newsom campaign. In September 2024, Newsom signed AB 3206 which created an exception to the state's last call alcohol law for the Intuit Dome owned by Steve Ballmer.

2021: Newsom Addresses Conflict of Interest Concerns Regarding Wife's Nonprofit

In 2021, Governor Newsom stated that he perceived no conflict of interest in his wife's nonprofit, The Representation Project, accepting donations from corporations that lobby his administration. The organization had received over $800,000 in donations from such corporations in recent years.

2021: Decline in Support for Capital Punishment

In 2021, a poll suggested a decline in support for capital punishment among California voters.

2021: Newsom's vulnerable 2021 recall

In 2021, the year Newsom was recalled

January 13, 2022: Denial of Parole for Sirhan Sirhan

On January 13, 2022, Gavin Newsom denied parole to Sirhan Sirhan, Robert F. Kennedy's assassin, despite a parole board recommendation. Newsom cited Sirhan's lack of insight and refusal to accept responsibility for the assassination in an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times.

January 2022: Direction to Dismantle Death Row

In January 2022, Gavin Newsom directed the state to begin dismantling its death row in San Quentin, with the intention of transforming it into a "space for rehabilitation programs," as condemned inmates were to be moved to other prisons with maximum-security facilities.

April 2022: Report on Fire Prevention Program Failure

In April 2022, CapRadio reported that a program hailed in 2020 by the Newsom administration to fast-track environmental reviews on high-priority fire prevention projects had failed to make progress.

2022: Criticism for Abandoning Support for Universal Healthcare

In early 2022, Gavin Newsom was criticized for seemingly walking back his support for universal health care and for not supporting CalCare (Assembly Bill 1400), which would have instituted single-payer healthcare in California. Critics attributed this to opposition from business interests who had donated to Newsom and his party.

March 2023: Response to Walgreens' Abortion Pill Decision

In March 2023, after Walgreens announced it would not dispense abortion pills in 21 states where it is illegal, Gavin Newsom stated that California would cease doing business with Walgreens and accused the company of bowing to "right-wing bullies". He also indicated he wanted to cancel Walgreens' $54 million contract with the California state prison system.

October 2023: Newsom Visits China

In October 2023, Gavin Newsom made a week-long trip to China, starting in Hong Kong and including stops in Beijing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai. He met with President Xi Jinping to discuss climate change, trade relations, and the response to fentanyl production. The visit drew both praise and criticism, with some raising concerns about human rights issues.

October 2023: Newsom Vetoes Bill to Ban Caste Discrimination

In October 2023, Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have banned discrimination based on caste, citing existing protections against discrimination based on other characteristics. The veto was applauded by Hindu rights organizations but criticized by advocates for marginalized castes.

October 20, 2023: Newsom Visits Israel During Gaza War

On October 20, 2023, Gavin Newsom visited Israel to express solidarity during the Gaza war. He met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, other Israeli officials, and survivors of the October 7 attacks.

November 2023: Newsom Debates DeSantis

In November 2023, Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis debated, with Fox News's Sean Hannity as the moderator.

February 2024: Exemption for Bakeries in AB 1228

In February 2024, Bloomberg News reported that Gavin Newsom advocated for an exemption for businesses that bake and sell bread in AB 1228, a bill increasing the state's minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour. The exemption covered 24 Panera Bread bakery-cafes owned by Greg Flynn, a businessman and Newsom donor. Republican lawmakers called for an investigation into the exemption.

September 2024: Exception to Alcohol Law for Intuit Dome

In September 2024, the Los Angeles Times reported that Gavin Newsom signed AB 3206 into law, which created an exception to the state's last call alcohol law for the Intuit Dome, owned by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Ethics experts criticized the bill because Ballmer's wife had donated $1 million to Newsom in 2021.

October 2024: Veto of Assembly Bill 2693

In October 2024, Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill 2693, which aimed to modify the statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases in juvenile facilities.

December 2024: Newsom Criticizes Biden for Pardoning Hunter Biden

In December 2024, Gavin Newsom criticized President Biden for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, stating, "I'm disappointed and can't support the decision."

April 2025: Criticism for Illegal Deportation Comment

In April 2025, Gavin Newsom faced criticism for calling the illegal deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador "the distraction of the day," with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen questioning his commitment to the Constitution and due process.

June 2025: Lawsuit Against Troop Deployment

In June 2025, following protests in Los Angeles due to federal immigration raids and the deployment of federal troops by President Trump, the State of California, led by Gavin Newsom, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of the troop deployment, alleging an unconstitutional overreach of federal authority.

August 2025: Newsom Secures Approval of California Proposition 50

In August 2025, Gavin Newsom secured legislative approval of California Proposition 50, an amendment to allow congressional redistricting. The goal is to switch seats from Republican to Democratic control as a response to Texas's redistricting decision.

2025: Veto of Senate Bill 274

In 2025, Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 274, which would have expanded regulations on law enforcement's use of automated license plate readers, citing concerns that the proposed rules could hinder police work.