Do Tourk Timesheets Reveal Special Treatment?

Mar. 5 - KGO (KGO) -- The ABC7 I-Team has uncovered new information in the City Hall sex scandal involving San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Ruby Tourk, a staffer, who also happened to be the wife of his top aide at the time.

We're getting an inside look at how the mayor's office does business, and it raises new questions about whether Newsom's former appointments secretary, Ruby Tourk, got special treatment because of their affair.

Mayor Gavin Newsom: "I am deeply sorry and am accountable for what has occurred."

It's been a month since Mayor Newsom publicly admitted having an affair with Ruby Tourk, his appointments secretary and wife of his close friend and campaign manager, Alex Tourk.

He's doing his best to put the scandal behind him, but Ruby Tourk's timesheets during her two-and-a-half years in the mayor's office are raising new questions.

Howard Epstein, San Francisco Taxpayers Union: "Well, I think it's really shocking. Mayor Newsom makes a practice of talking about what he refers to as best practices at just about every stop. You would think he would use them in his office."

A manager failed to sign Ruby Tourk's timesheets in 42 out of 65 cases. In fact, eight times she approved her own timesheet, signing both as employee and authorized manager. On 15 timesheets there are no signatures at all -- for Ruby or a manager.

Monique Zmuda, Deputy City Controller: "That does surprise me, because the city's policy is that all the timesheets have a supervisor or a manager approve that time."

Monique Zmuda is deputy city controller, who's reviewed Tourk's files since the scandal broke. She's especially surprised that Ruby Tourk's husband, Alex, who was Newsom's deputy chief of staff at the time, signed her timesheets on three occasions -- also a violation of city policy.

Monique Zmuda: "In terms of ethical considerations, we want to be sure that a spouse is not signing for a benefit that they could actually realize."

ABC7's Dan Noyes: "So, meaning that's money coming into their household?"

Monique Zmuda: "Correct."

The city attorney's office is investigating Ruby Tourk's timesheets and how she received a $10,000 dollar check after she quit the mayor's office, under the Catastrophic Illness Program. Under CIP, city employees can donate vacation and sick time to another city employee battling a terminal illness.

Jennifer Lee: "Massive heart attacks, AIDS, cancer, brain tumors."

Jennifer Lee knows the Catastrophic Illness Program well. The retired San Francisco police officer helped administer the program for the department, but then had to count on it when her husband -- also an SFPD officer -- developed head and neck cancer.

Jennifer Lee: "The doctor told him no more treatment, hospice would be called."

Officer Philip Lee died in October -- his wife keeps a candle lit. It angers Jennifer Lee that Ruby Tourk received the $10,000 dollar check under the Catastrophic Illness Program for alcohol rehab.

Jennifer Lee: "I think it's disgusting, and I think how she can sleep at night, how the mayor can sleep at night and seem to think this was okay? If they can tell me how they justify this, I'd really like to know."

We spoke to Newsom's chief of staff late today. He wouldn't talk about the CIP issue, but he would talk about the timesheet controversy.

Phil Ginsberg, Mayor's Chief of Staff: "Under my policy as the new chief of staff, I'm going to make sure that every timesheet is actually signed and approved until our new system is in place."

Dan Noyes: "Was it appropriate that her husband signed several of her timesheets?

Phil Ginsberg: "No, in my view."

Dan Noyes: "Was it proper that she herself signed her timesheets both as employee and manager?"

Phil Ginsberg: "No."

A spokesman for Ruby Tourk sent us an e-mail a short time ago, which reads, "To our knowledge, there are no violations of city policy in this matter."

MORE ON THIS STORY:

>> Ruby Tourk's letter of resignation sent in July of 2006
>> "How To Identify And Prevent Workplace Harassment" certificate given to Mayor Newsom in November of 2005

>> I-TEAM BLOG: Tourk's Paid Leave (2/15)
>> I-TEAM BLOG: Day of Bombshells (2/1)

>> City Hall Scandal: Did Tourk Bend The Rules? (2/16)
>> Exclusive: Did Tourk Receive Preferential Treatment? (2/16)
>> Should Aide Who Resigned Still Get Paid? (2/5)
>> Newsom Apologizes; So What's Next For The Mayor? (2/1)
>> Aide Says His Wife, Mayor Had Affair (1/31)

>> VIDEO: Ruby Tourk's appearance on "The View from the Bay"

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