Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Wife Of Gov. Gavin Newsom, Will Testify Against Harvey Weinstein In Sexual Assault Trial
Attorneys of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, told CNN on Monday that she will be testifying in the sexual assault trial of disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein in Los Angeles.
“Like many other women, my client was sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein at a purported business meeting that turned out to be a trap,” said Beth Fegan, one of Newsom’s attorneys.
“She intends to testify at his trial to seek some measure of justice for survivors and as part of her life’s work to improve the lives of women,” Fegan said.
After being convicted of a first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape in New York and given a 23-year sentence, Weinstein, now 70, is poised to go on trial again.
The former Hollywood mogul was tried and convicted in New York and then sent to a prison in Los Angeles to serve his time.
In Los Angeles, Weinstein is being charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, including four counts of rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by force, and sexual battery by restraint, all of which are alleged to have occurred between 2004 and 2013. Weinstein pleaded not guilty to all of the charges last year.
On Monday, the Los Angeles County Superior Court began selecting a jury for the Harvey Weinstein trial. Attorney Mark Firmani has said that Newsom is expected to testify "on or around November 8," though this date is subject to change.
As his trial in Los Angeles begins, Weinstein has continued to insist he did nothing wrong. In August, the state's top court agreed to hear the appeal of his 2020 sex crime conviction.
Women worldwide were inspired by the claims against Weinstein to speak out against sexual abuse, and the #MeToo movement was born as a result.
In an opinion piece for The Huffington Post published the day after The New York Times' explosive exposé on Weinstein was made public in October 2017, Newsom said that she, too, had experienced something very similar to the claims made against Weinstein.
Newsom wrote, "I was naive, new to the industry, and didn't know how to deal with his aggressive advances: work invitations with a friend late-night at The Toronto Film Festival, and later an invitation to meet with him about a role in The Peninsula Hotel, where staff were present, and then all of a sudden disappeared like clockwork, leaving me alone with this extremely powerful and intimidating Hollywood legend."
Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Weinstein, declined to comment on Newsom's accusation
Graduate of Stanford University with a background in writing, directing, and producing films like "Miss Representation," "The Mask You Live In," and "The Great American Lie," Siebel Newsom has a wide range of experience in the field. Siebel Newsom, California's First Partner, has been involved in some social activities throughout her time in office, including advocating for working mothers and launching initiatives focused on bridging the pay gap.