The Truth About Gavin Newsom's Connection To Erika Jayne

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been in the headlines almost as much as some of the celebrities that call the Golden State home. He has had to battle a recall effort in his state, criticism for having some of the strictest lockdown measures in the country due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and, of course, the backlash that came when he failed to follow his own rules by dining at the trendy French Laundry in Napa Valley maskless, via The New York Times. With that said, even the governor knows that the last several years have been a rollercoaster ride for him. 

"Look, it's a difficult job balancing, managing the needs, desires, aspirations of 40 million Americans. But I'm very proud of what we've done on COVID. It's been challenging, it's been stressful, but I think it's important ... our approach of being the first to lead with the stay at home order, I believe saved lives," he told ABC7 News. To make matters worse for the governor (or maybe more embarrassing), it's been reported that he has some strong ties to another California resident who has been making a lot of headlines for the wrong reasons, too: "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Erika Jayne. But how are Newsom and Erika connected?

As many fans know, Erika Jayne's fall from grace has been a rough tumble to the ground. Last year, she pulled the plug on her marriage to husband Tom Girardi after it was reported that the former attorney had allegedly misappropriated client funds that were supposed to be given to the families of those killed in Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia. If that were not enough, Erika also hinted that Tom might have been unfaithful during their marriage.

And, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom has nothing to do with Erika and Tom's marital status or legal issues, he does have a strong tie to the couple. That's because he revealed in an interview with Andy Cohen on "Watch What Happens Live" in 2016 that Tom was once one of his biggest financial donors. When asked about his connection to the Real Housewife, the governor said, "It's an indirect tie. It's because her husband is one of the major donors in California politics." Cohen asked, "Does he give to you?" and Newsom replied with a chuckle, "He has been extraordinarily generous to me."

So, does this mean that Erika did, in fact, rub elbows with some of the most powerful people in the country?

According to the Los Angeles Times, Tom Girardi had a lot of clout in the world of California politics. Apparently, Tom and his wife Erika Jayne were so close with Gov. Gavin Newsom that he even gave the attorney an official role filing state judgeships in 2019. This, of course, was before Tom and Erika's downfall. Things have gotten so bad for the reality television star that she's admitted to being broke and supposedly has "zero dollars" in her bank account, adding, "And by the time those trustees are done with [estranged husband Tom Girardi], there'll be nothing. So, I walk out of this with nothing," per Page Six. 

If that weren't enough, Erika also feels as though she has very few people on her side. "This sucks so bad. Things that are being said are just wrong. People are believing them and they're everywhere and it's terrible and I'm just here by myself, and what's being said is just mean. It's insane that my divorce is a sham but nobody cares about the facts," she said, per TODAY. No word on whether or not Newsom still chuckles whenever he hears Tom or Erika's name during his interviews these days.