Newsom and Villaraigosa affairs coming to TV ads in California

An independent political committee backing Republican John Cox for governor released an ad blasting both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their past sexual affairs.

The “California Deserves Better” ad, which was first reported by Politico, criticizes Newsom for having an affair with a woman on his staff in 2005 while he served as mayor of San Francisco. It also goes after Villaraigosa for having an extramarital affair with a television reporter in 2007 while he was mayor of Los Angeles.

The ad, which begins airing on Fox stations in the state’s top media markets Monday, links Newsom and Villaraigosa to the men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo movement, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and disgraced “Today” show veteran Matt Lauer.

“Powerful men are finally being held to account, punished for inappropriate sexual conduct with women over whom they exercise power,” the ad begins. “…Newsom and Villaraigosa think the rules shouldn’t apply to them.”

The independent campaign committee, called Restore Our Values, already has raised more than $100,000, said Leigh Teece of Emeryville in Northern California, co-founder of the group.

Teece, the CEO of a nonprofit that helps line up students with professional mentors, said the campaign will actively support Cox. She called him a “true conservative” and noted that he supports cutting taxes and opposes California’s sanctuary state policy.

“John is a business person who has demonstrated integrity,” Teece said.

Read the full article in the Los Angeles times here.

Sex as a weapon — gubernatorial candidates’ indiscretions star in conservative ad
Author: Joe Garofoli – San Francisco Chronicle