‘Angry’ Katie Hill Blames Right-Wing Media for ‘Electronic Assault’ Leading to Her Resignation

Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) released a statement on Monday formally announcing her resignation following allegations of inappropriate sexual relationships with congressional staffers, blaming “right-wing media” and “hateful political operatives” for “enabling and perpetuating my husband’s abuse by providing him a platform.”

Hill confirmed the reports of her resignation in a video announcement released Monday. Her resignation comes weeks after mounting allegations of inappropriate sexual relationships with congressional staffers, including a “throuple” relationship with a female staffer and a separate affair with a male staffer.

While Hill issued a relatively ambiguous statement confirming a relationship with a staffer the day after denying an affair with a male member of her congressional staff, she directly blamed her departure on a “coordinated campaign carried out by the right-wing media and Republican opponents,” accusing both of “enabling and perpetuating my husband’s abuse by providing him a platform” and calling it “disgusting and unforgivable.”

“They will be held accountable, but I will not allow myself to be a distraction from the constitutional crisis we’re faced with and the critical work of my colleagues, and so I have to take my personal fight outside the halls of Congress,” she said, stressing the importance of legislative policies — ensuring “quality health care, housing we can afford, and a government that works for the people” — that Democrats have largely ignored due to their endless pursual of impeachment.

“I cannot let this horrible smear campaign get in the way of that work,” she continued, telling her supporters that they “showed the nation that there is hope even in the darkest of moments.”

Hill added that she will “take on a new fight” to “ensure that no one else has to live through what I just experienced.”

“Some people call this electronic assault, digital exploitation. Others call it revenge porn. As the victim of it, I call it one of the worst things that we can do to our sisters and our daughters,” she said, adding that she will “not allow my experience to scare off other young women or girls from running for office.”

“For the sake of all of us, we cannot let that happen,” she added.

“I’m hurt. I’m angry. The path that I saw so clearly for myself is no longer there,” Hill continued. “I’ve had moments where I’ve wondered what the last three years of my life were for and if it was worth it.”

“I never claimed to be perfect, but I never thought my imperfections would be weaponized and used to try to destroy me and the community I’ve loved for my entire life,” she added. “For that, I am so incredibly sorry.”