Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) has filed a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, alleging months of “persistent abuse and harassment” in the form of repeatedly contacting her family, staff, and fellow lawmakers and causing “significant fear for [her] personal safety and well-being.”
Court documents obtained by Politico revealed that Porter, who is set to vacate her House seat in January after running a failed campaign for U.S. Senate, has been granted a temporary restraining order against her ex, Julian Willis, until the next hearing in December.
Referencing “defamatory” claims allegedly made by Willis — including one that Porter had genital herpes, which she proved false by submitting test results to the court — the congresswoman said he is aiming to do “significant harm” to her public image.
Willis, 55, who dated Porter, 50, for a number of years and lived in her home until she told him to get out in late August, is also accused of contacting her children and ex-husband.
In one email sent to the lawmaker’s former husband, Matthew Hoffman, and their son, Willis allegedly threatened to “bring the hammer down on Katie and smash her and her life into a million pieces.”
“If you don’t fully comprehend what is transpiring, right now, let me spell it out for you. The noose is tightening around Katie’s neck,” Porter accused her ex-boyfriend of writing.
Overall, Willis allegedly sent Porter and those close to her more than 1,000 texts and emails since their August breakup.
Additionally, Willis allegedly threatened to report Porter to Child Protective Services (CPS) in an apparent attempt to get her kids taken away and to extort her for money.
“He has already contacted at least three reporters to disseminate false and damaging information about me and my children. As a prominent political figure, this threat poses a serious risk to my career and personal reputation,” Porter’s petition says.
According to Porter, who lost the Democrat primary for the seat that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) is set to retire from in January, Willis struggled with drug abuse and mental health issues while they were together, prompting two involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations since 2022.
“I have observed him misusing prescription painkillers, snorting Ritalin, and abusing cannabis and nicotine patches,” Porter alleged. “He has also previously disclosed to me his use of cocaine and nitrous oxide (‘whippets’).”
Willis even went so far as to allegedly contact members of Congress, with at least one member “reporting that they received disturbing messages,” Politico reported.
Porter said he also reached out to her close friend and mentor, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and her husband, Bruce H. Mann.
While court exhibits showed that Willis requested to speak with the senator about his and Porter’s situation, it is unclear if they had further contact.
In her petition, Porter requested a no-contact and stay-away order to keep Willis from reaching out to “dozens” of current and former colleagues who reported receiving “disturbing,” “threatening,” or “abusive” messages.
She also requested that the judge require Willis to stay at least 100 yards from her home, workplace, and children’s schools, and for the restraining order to cover all three kids as well as her 78-year-old mother.
“This is a very unfortunate situation,” the congresswoman told Politico. “Mr. Willis has suffered from well-documented mental health and substance abuse issues. As the records filed today show, those issues have gotten increasingly worse since I ended the relationship and asked him to leave my house. In recent weeks, his threats against my family and my colleagues have escalated in both their frequency and intensity, and I feel I must ask for this order from the court. I sincerely hope he can get the help he needs.”
Willis also provided a statement to the outlet, claiming that Porter wants a restraining order to preempt him from suing her and going to the media.
“This is her way of combatting all that,” he said.
He also claimed that he has been sober for over three years, but texts provided by Porter allegedly show him recognizing his own substance abuse in 2022.
“She’s a monster,” Willis added.
Willis was previously arrested after getting into a fight at a July 2021 Porter town hall event in Irvine, with NBC San Diego reporting that he was released with a citation.
Irvine police said there “were opposing opinions at the town hall. It got heated and punches were thrown. One man received a bloody nose.”
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