Gavin Newsom: Difference between revisions

Gavin Newsom
42nd Mayor of San Francisco
Incumbent
Assumed office January 8, 2004
Preceded by	Willie Lewis Brown, Jr.
Personal details
Born	(1967-10-10) October 10, 1967 (age 57) San Francisco, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Kimberly Guilfoyle (divorced)
Profession	Restaurateur

Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, California and a member of the Democratic Party. Newsom was elected the city's mayor in 2003, succeeding Willie Brown, and becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years.^[3] On his 36th^[4] day in office, Newsom gained national attention in 2004, when he issued a directive to the San Francisco city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.^[5] The unexpected move brought national attention to the issue of gay marriage and gay rights, solidifying political support for Newsom in San Francisco and in the gay community, and causing other states to change their laws concerning marriage and gay rights.^[4] Newsom was re-elected in the November 2007 mayoral election with 72 percent of the vote.^[4][6] Newsom is seen in many political circles as a potential candidate for Governor in the 2010 gubernatorial election.^[7][8]

Newsom is a fourth-generation San Franciscan; his paternal great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland in 1865. One of his maternal great-grandfathers, Scotsman Thomas Addis, was a pioneer scientist in the field of nephrology and a professor of medicine at Stanford University. Newsom's parents are retired state appeals court Judge William Newsom, and Tessa (Menzies) Newsom who died in May 2002 after a five year fight with breast cancer. Newsom's parents divorced in 1972, and at age ten Newsom moved with his mother and sister to nearby Marin County.^[9]

Tessa Newsom worked three jobs to support Gavin and his sister Hilary Newsom Callan. In an interview with The San Francisco Chronicle, Newsom's sister recalled there where's Christmas's where their mother would tell them there wouldn't be any gifts. Despite limited finances, his mother opened their home to foster children—teaching Newsom the importance of public service.^[9]

Newsom attended kindergarten and first grade at the French-American bilingual school, but Newsom transferred out because of his severe dyslexia. He attended third through fifth grade at Notre Dame de Victoire, where he was placed in remedial reading classes.^[9]

Newsom graduated from Redwood High School in 1985. He played basketball and baseball in high school.^[9] Newsom was an outfielder in baseball. His basketball skills got Newsom on the cover of the Marin Independent Journal.^[9] Newsom's childhood friend Derek Smith recalled Newsom as one of the hardest working players on the team who became a great player because of his hard and not his natural abilities.^[9] Newsom's father attended his games with San Francisco politicians that included John Burton and Quentin Kopp.^[9]

Newsom attended Santa Clara University on a partial baseball scholarship and student loans, where he graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. His first job out of college was selling podiatric orthotics.^[9] Next, he worked for real estate firm Shorenstein & Company and numerous jobs for them that included cleaning bathrooms and removing asbestos.^[9] Newsom also earned a real estate license.^[9]

In 1992, he started the PlumpJack Wine Shop with the financial help of family friend Gordon Getty. The business eventually grew to a multi-million dollar empire with over 700 employees, including five restaurants, a Napa Valley winery, a hotel at a ski resort, and two retail clothing stores. In 2002, Newsom business holdings were valued at more than $6.9 million.^[9]

In December 2001, Newsom married Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former San Francisco prosecutor and legal commentator for Court TV, CNN, and MSNBC, and who now hosts The Lineup on Fox News Channel. On January 7, 2005, the couple jointly filed for divorce, citing "difficulties due to their careers on opposite coasts."^[10] The couple had no children. An article dated Mar 11, 2007 states that he is currently dating actress Jennifer Siebel. ^[11] On December 31, 2007, he announced that the two are now engaged, and will wed on an undetermined date.^[12]

In 1996, Newsom was appointed by San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to a vacant seat on the Parking and Traffic Commission and was elected president of the commission. Later that same year, Brown appointed him to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors seat vacated by Kevin Shelley, and he was subsequently elected to the Board in 1998. In 1999, San Francisco's voters chose to exchange district-based elections to the Board for the previous at-large system, and Newsom was re-elected in 2000 and 2002 to represent District 2, which includes the Pacific Heights and Marina districts.

As Supervisor, Newsom gained public attention for his role in advocating reform of the city's beleaguered Municipal Railway (Muni). He sponsored a ballot measure from the transit riders group Rescue Muni; a version of the measure was approved by voters in November 1999.

Newsom easily placed first in the November 4, 2003 general election in a crowded 9 person field, but faced a closer race in the December 9th runoff when many of the cities liberal groups coalesced around the campaign of Green Matt Gonzalez.^[13] The race was particularly partisan with attacks against Gonzales for leaving the democratic party and attacks against Newsom for contributing $500 to a Republican slate mailer in 2000 that endorsed issues Newsom supported.^[14][15] Democratic leadership felt that they needed to reenforce San Francisco as a Democratic stronghold after losing the 2003 recall election to Arnold Schwarzenegger.^[15] National figures from the Democratic Party, including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Jesse Jackson, campaigned on Newsom's behalf.^[15][16] Five supervisors endorsed Gonzales while Newsom received the endorsement of Willie Brown; the election was a test of Brown's legacy as Newsom was one of Brown's strongest supporters during his time on the Board of Supervisors.^[13][17]

Newsom won a closely contested race, capturing 53% to Gonzales's 47%, by about 11,000 votes.^[13] Newsom's campaign spent over $4 million dollars, out spending Gonzales 10 to 1.^[13] Newsom ran as a business friendly centrist democrat and a moderate in San Francisco politics.^[13][15] Newsom claimed he was a centrist in the Dianne Feinstein mold.^[18] He ran on the slogan "great cities, great ideas" and presented over 21 policy papers.^[17] Newsom's pledged to continue working on San Francisco's homelessness issue.^[13]

As Supervisor, the centerpiece of Newsom's reform package was a voter initiative called "Care Not Cash," which substituted direct aid in the form of rent vouchers, etc., for cash payments heretofore made to indigents under the state's General Assistance program. Care Not Cash caused significant controversy in the city, and many homeless rights advocates protested against it. ^[19][20] Implementation of Care Not Cash began on July 1, 2004. As part of his Care Not Cash initiative, 5,000 more homeless people were given permanent shelter in the city, and as of May 4, 2006, 1,318 people have been placed into permanent housing with support. Other programs initiated by Newsom to end chronic homelessness include the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team (SF HOT), and Project Homeless Connect (PHC). SF HOT functions as a short-term intensive case management team, assisting the most disabled homeless individuals to access health, social and housing services. PHC consists of bimonthly events that bring together a host of public and private services at one location, making it easier for homeless individuals to connect with a number of services under one roof. Both of these programs have added to Mayor Newsom's success with regard to getting homeless people into permanent, supportive housing.

Newsom has focused city resources on impoverished districts in Bayview-Hunters Point on San Francisco's southeast side, often arriving there without notice to follow through on city programs. He extended the city-funded health insurance program, started under Mayor Brown, to young adults, a program that had been previously offered only to children. Newsom appointed San Francisco's first female police chief, Heather Fong, and fire chief, Joanne Hayes-White.

On October 27, 2004, during a strike by hotel workers on a dozen San Francisco hotels, Newsom joined UNITE HERE union members on a picket line in front of the Westin St. Francis Hotel. He vowed that the city would boycott the hotels by not sponsoring city events in any of them until the hotels agreed to a contract with workers.^[21] The contract dispute was settled in September, 2006.^[22].

Mayor Newsom is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition,^[23] an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino.

On April 23, 2007, Newsom again drew national attention when he announced at a community action held by the San Francisco Organizing Project that he would do everything he could to discourage federal authorities from conducting immigration raids. "Our action is to stand strong in opposition to these raids... to make sure that we are not contributing in any way, shape or form," Newsom said. "Even legal immigrants are fearful. This just sends a chill to a lot of people. There are a lot of cities that want these raids. That's where the federal government should be spending their time."^[24]

In his budget proposal for fiscal year 2007-2008, Newsom announced his intention to provide universal health care for all city residents, based on long-time City Supervisor Tom Ammiano's plan. The care will be provided through the San Francisco Health Access Plan.^[25][26]

Newsom's proposal has prompted Oakland mayor Ron Dellums and San Mateo County's Board of Supervisors to look into possibilities for providing their own taxpayer-subsidized health care.^[27][28]

Newsom issued a directive to the San Francisco city-county clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, claiming that the California Constitution's equal protection clause gave him authority to do so.^[29] Approximately 4,000 same-sex couples were issued licenses in San Francisco From February 12 until March 11, 2004 (when the weddings were halted by the California Supreme Court), bringing international attention to the Mayor and the City. On August 12, 2004, the Court voided all of the licenses.

On January 31, 2007, Newsom's campaign manager and former deputy chief of staff, Alex Tourk, resigned^[30] after confronting the mayor over a sexual affair Newsom had with Tourk's wife in late 2005. At the time, Newsom was undergoing a divorce with Guilfoyle and Rippey-Tourk worked in Newsom's office as the Mayor's aide for commission appointments.^[31] Newsom apologized for the affair at a news conference on February 1 2007, saying, "I hurt someone I care deeply about, Alex Tourk, his friends and family, and that is something that I have to live with and something that I am deeply sorry for." After being approached by concerned colleagues, he checked into an alcohol rehabilitation program.^[32]

• Official website of the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco
• Mayor Newsom's official campaign website
• SFGov profile about Gavin Newsom
• CityMayors profile about Gavin Newsom
• Mayors Against Illegal Guns homepage
• From Modest Beginnings, Newsom Finds Connections for Business, Political Success – a portrait of Newsom in the December 7, 2003 San Francisco Chronicle.
• William Newsom's connections to the Getty fortune – Peter Byrne, SF Weekly, April 2, 2003
• June 27, 2006 County to study universal health care
• "Gavin Newsom: The First Year" – from the San Francisco Chronicle, January 2, 2005
• Newsom reflects on 4 years of ups and downs as election approaches