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According to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office.
Napa County Assistant Dist. Atty. Paul Gero said his office on Thursday filed a two-count felony complaint against Nathan Ballard, 51, alleging domestic violence and child abuse after his October 18 arrest.
Ballard, who worked as Newsom’s communications director when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco, said in a recent Marin Magazine profile on Newsom and his wife, documentary director Jennifer Siebel Newsom, that he was a “friend. and longtime adviser ”to the governor.
According to the Napa County Sheriff, an unnamed woman alleged that Ballard, who she said had been under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, pushed her against a glass door on October 17, causing her to bang your head against the glass. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Henry Wofford said the woman told authorities Ballard fell to the ground, bloodying his nose and forehead, then grabbed a pillow and “tried to suffocate him.” child with the pillow ”.
The woman told an investigator she was able to remove the child and a 3-year-old boy from where the alleged incident happened, and went to a separate room and locked the door , Wofford said.
Ballard’s arrest was first reported by Politico, which also reported that the alleged incident took place at the upscale Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa.
Ballard’s attorney, Anthony Brass, said he was “fully convinced” that Ballard would be released from the charges.
“Nate is a highly respected professional and member of the bar with an impeccable ethical record. He has no criminal history. In his 51 years, Nate has never been accused, arrested or charged with any crime prior to these unsubstantiated allegations, ”Brass said in a written statement. “After nearly eight years of continuous abstinence, Nate started drinking again in April after his father died. He is now clean and sober again, and he is currently in a residential recovery program to deal with his alcohol problem in a responsible and comprehensive manner.
Ballard is the founder of Press Shop, a San Francisco public relations company. He worked as a communications advisor for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Super Bowl 50, Democratic National Committee, and the California Democratic Party, and was a spokesperson for the former senator’s 2004 presidential campaign. and Secretary of State John Kerry. Ballard also sits on the board of directors of the Representation Project, a non-profit organization founded by Siebel Newsom that fights social injustice and gender stereotypes.
News of Ballard’s arrest comes at a politically sensitive time for Newsom. The Democratic governor has been criticized for visiting an upscale Napa Valley restaurant with his wife to attend a birthday party for his political adviser Jason Kinney on November 6. Newsom apologized for his behavior, saying it went against the spirit of the safety guidelines. and the precautions he asked Californians to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
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