Nathan Ballard, former Newsom aide, pleads not guilty in domestic abuse case

Prominent Democratic strategist pleads not guilty in domestic abuse case

Nathan Ballard, a former adviser to Gavin Newsom, pleaded not guilty to domestic abuse charges in Napa.

A top Democratic Party strategist and former advisor to Gov. Newsom pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to felony domestic violence charges.

Nathan Ballard appeared virtually before a judge to face charges that he allegedly pushed his wife into a glass door and tried smothering his 4-year-old daughter with a pillow at a Napa Valley resort on October 17.

Authorities charged him with one count of domestic abuse and a count of child abuse. Ballard claims that he was "wrongfully accused."

A Napa County prosecutor claimed Tuesday that Ballard has also recently violated the terms of an order forbidding him from going near his estranged wife, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Ballard runs The Press Shop, a public relations firm in San Francisco. He’s been a spokesman for many high-profile clients, including Newsom when he was mayor of San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors, Super Bowl 50, and Fortune 100 companies, according to the company’s website. He’s advised former San Francisco mayors Ed Lee and Mark Farrell, and he worked with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf following the Ghost Ship fire tragedy.

He’s due in court again next month.