Rep. Katie Hill Sex Scandal

[lpetrich]

US congresswoman Katie Hill threatens to sue Daily Mail over nude photos | US news | The Guardian

“I am going through a divorce from an abusive husband who seems determined to try to humiliate me. I am disgusted that my opponents would seek to exploit such a private matter for political gain,” she said in a separate statement.

“This coordinated effort to try to destroy me and the people close to me is despicable and will not succeed. I, like many women who have faced attacks like this before, am stronger than those who want me to be afraid.”

However,

The bipartisan House ethics committee opened an investigation of Hill this week for possibly having engaged in a relationship with a staff member in violation of House rules.

Hill has said that she had an “inappropriate” relationship with a staffer.

“I know that even a consensual relationship with a subordinate is inappropriate, but I still allowed it to happen despite my better judgment,” she said in a statement. “For that I apologize. I wish nothing but the best for her and hope everyone respects her privacy in this difficult time.”

Katie Hill, rising Democratic star, resigns amid claims of relationship with staffer | US news | The Guardian
Rep. Katie Hill on Twitter: "It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community, and our country.
See my official statement below. https://t.co/nG97RQIwvO" / Twitter

Back to The Guardian:

Supporters and activists say Hill is a victim of “revenge porn”, a criminal offense in most states, including California and in Washington DC.

In her statement, Hill called the publication of nude photographs without her consent illegal and said she is “currently pursuing all legal options”. “Having private photos of personal moments weaponized against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy.”

“I know that as long as I am in Congress, we’ll live fearful of what might come next and how much it will hurt,” she said, explaining her decision to resign. It is unclear when Hill will officially step down. A spokeswoman for her office said the date remains “uncertain”.

...
In a statement, Pelosi said Hill has “acknowledged errors in judgment that made her continued service as a member untenable”.

She praised Hill’s “great contribution as a leader of the freshman class” but said the House “must ensure a climate of integrity and dignity in the Congress, and in all workplaces”.

 

[lpetrich]

More from her and some responses:

Katie Hill on Twitter: "To every girl and woman - to everyone who believes in this fight - this isn’t over. " / Twitter

Charlotte Clymer* on Twitter: "This is heartbreaking and a reminder that women in elected office are held to entirely different standards than their male colleagues. The horror of revenge porn and the cruelty of biphobia will not get nearly as much discussion as they deserve." / Twitter

Marina Preciado on Twitter: "Congresswoman Katie Hill’s abusive ex-husband leaked nude photos of her. She resigned today from Congress.
Donald Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 25 women.... and is still in office." / Twitter

Jill Filipovic on Twitter: "To everyone being like, “well Katie Hill shouldn’t have taken nude photos!!!!”: you are the reason more women don’t run for office. You are the reason women don’t report the kind of abuse Hill’s ex has inflicted on her." / Twitter

Seth Abramson on Twitter: "Trump is accused of rape and becomes more popular
Hill is accused of an improper consensual relationship with an adult and leaves government ASAP
Trumpists are right: white men have it so bad
It's like you get accused of rape and have to endure *one or two awkward news cycles*" / Twitter
noting
The Washington Post on Twitter: "Rep. Katie Hill to resign amid allegations of intimate relationship with staffer https://t.co/MCXrDczCGY" / Twitter
noting
Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) to resign from Congress amid ethics investigation - The Washington Post

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) defended his Democratic college Rep. Katie Hill (Calif.) Thursday following the announcement that the House will investigate allegations of an extramarital affair with an office staffer, which Hill has denied.

Gaetz noted that an explicit photo of Hill was leaked without her permission, which she has blamed on her estranged husband.

“Who among us would look perfect if every ex leaked every photo/text? Katie isn’t being investigated by Ethics or maligned because she hurt anyone — it is because she is different,” Gaetz tweeted Thursday. Hill identifies as bisexual.

...

“I serve on Armed Services [Committee] with Katie and while we frequently disagree on substance, she is always well-prepared, focused and thoughtful,” Gaetz added.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/...cratic-colleague-katie-hill-over-leaked-photo

Congresswoman Katie Hill came to Congress with a powerful commitment to her community and a bright vision for the future, and has made a great contribution as a leader of the Freshman Class. She has acknowledged errors in judgment that made her continued service as a Member untenable. We must ensure a climate of integrity and dignity in the Congress, and in all workplaces.

https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/102719-2

The code of conduct does not cover campaign staff, but many advocates say there’s a fundamental problem with an employer having a sexual relationship with an employee. There are “inherent power dynamics involved with superiors and their subordinates, which makes the issue of consent difficult,” Ally Coll, co-founder of the anti-sexual harassment organization The Purple Campaign, told Vox.

The texts hinting at abuse make the allegation even more troubling

...

“It was a dark time and you treated me really poorly but I also stayed which I have to own,” one of the texts, purportedly from the staffer to Heslep, reads.

According to RedState, Heslep replied, “Don’t take full responsibility for staying with people that are abusing you. That is basically victim blaming, and none of it was your fault.”

In one text to the staffer, Heslep referred to “katies abuse,” according to RedState. And in another, the staffer referred to a hobby she enjoyed, according to the website: “She can ruin politics, take all my friends, and isolate me, but she can’t have [this].”

https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/23/20928700/katie-hill-leaked-red-state-revenge-porn

 

[Derec]

This thread is useless without photos.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

This thread is useless without photos.

here you go

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

I tried to find the photos, but all the ones posted were blurred or censored. Disappointed. Even the Daily Mail photos didn't show anything, only that if they weren't blurred they would show everything. I wanted to get a better view of my representative.

Actually, after this, I'm thinking of voting for her. I skipped that race last time around when I voted.

 

[PyramidHead]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

 

[Toni]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

Except the part involving staff. That's never cool and off limits/against the rules she agreed to by becoming a part of Congress.

 

[ZiprHead]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

Except the part involving staff. That's never cool and off limits/against the rules she agreed to by becoming a part of Congress.

I thought the relationship with the staffer happened before she became a congressperson. Campaign staffer.

 

[Derec]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

It's "awesome" to cheat on your husband?

 

[Toni]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

It's "awesome" to cheat on your husband?

It was apparently an open relationship or at least one where he knew she had another partner or that's my understanding. In which case, it's not cheating.

 

[Toni]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

Except the part involving staff. That's never cool and off limits/against the rules she agreed to by becoming a part of Congress.

I thought the relationship with the staffer happened before she became a congressperson. Campaign staffer.

Right, but some sources are mentioning inappropriate relationships, plural. I think it's a bit unwise to do when campaigning or at least has the opportunity to muddy a lot of waters. How did one of my former coworkers put it? Don't shit where you eat.

Seems sound advice to me.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

It's "awesome" to cheat on your husband?

It was apparently an open relationship or at least one where he knew she had another partner or that's my understanding. In which case, it's not cheating.

I don't know the full story. I think I read that the first thing was between him, her, and a third party. The second thing he was not aware of and that is part of his upset/whatever. Again, don't know the full story.

 

[J842P]

I mean other than the tattoo, all of what she's accused of is pretty awesome

Except the part involving staff. That's never cool and off limits/against the rules she agreed to by becoming a part of Congress.

Yes, I had only originally heard she had an affair, to which my reaction is mostly "who cares?"

But having an affair with a staffer, whether it was on your campaign or part of your actual congressional staff, is not acceptable.

 

[blastula]

I don't like how she's making it all about the leaked photos, when she's not resigning over a photo; she's resigning because of a relationship with a staffer. But I don't know that she had to resign. She could have faced whatever censure Congress gives her and moved on. Though it would put Dems in weaker position to call out improprieties.

She won in a traditionally red district, they better have a viable replacement ready.

 

[Half-Life]

I like how you guys say "affairs don't matter" but then call Trump a pig for his affairs. Hypocrisy.

All you guys who think affairs don't matter would cheat on your spouses?

 

[ZiprHead]

I like how you guys say "affairs don't matter" but then call Trump a pig for his affairs. Hypocrisy.

All you guys who think affairs don't matter would cheat on your spouses?

Uh, weren't you the guys that said affairs don't matter first?

 

[Toni]

I don't like how she's making it all about the leaked photos, when she's not resigning over a photo; she's resigning because of a relationship with a staffer. But I don't know that she had to resign. She could have faced whatever censure Congress gives her and moved on. Though it would put Dems in weaker position to call out improprieties.

She won in a traditionally red district, they better have a viable replacement ready.

I think the photos were just too big an intrusion into her private life. I think that many or most people would find such an intrusion to be humiliating. In today’s world where everybody ferls entitled to say anything about anybody in the public eye, this would haunt her forever or she feels they would. How many of us would really care to see intimate photos of ourselves all over the media? Her husband/ex-husband’s actions in making private photos public were apparently the thing that was too much for her. She terms him abusive—which may or may not be the case outside of making private photos public, which is, IMO, abusive and may be illegal.

The downside is that it might give those who are already so inclined the cover. to regard bisexuals and people in open relationships as ‘less stable.’ I started to write that it’s easy but wrong to make judgements about how other people live their lives, especially their sex lives but it is true: we all do that, even when we think we don’t.

My personal opinion is that engaging in an inappropriate relationship with someone who is their subordinate shows a lack of judgment and perhaps a lack of character. The rest should be between the parties involved. OTOH, Halfie has a point. Most of us are pretty judgmental about Trump’s affairs. For me the difference is that he and so many Republicans cast themselves as being so moral and upright and family oriented. That seems extremely hypocritical.

Of course there is the fact that Trump has openly bragged about sexually assaulting women many times, seems to have a pretty creepy view of one of his daughters and has credibly been accused of sexual assault and/or rape by at least 16 women. Sexual assault and rape are an entirely different ballgame than an extra marital affair.

Many POTUS and other powerful men have had mistresses, often an open secret. Trump is the only one in my recollection who has made it a public spectacle—although before attaining office. I would guess that his age is all that prevents him from engaging in similar exploits publicly now. And I do mean age—not maturity.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Why does Katie have to quit, but Trump, a rapist does not? Maybe somebody from the Republican leaders can explain.

 

[Worldtraveller]

Why does Katie have to quit, but Trump, a rapist does not? Maybe somebody from the Republican leaders can explain.

I eagerly await someone quoting HL's dumbass excuse for why his response isn't hypocrisy!

I say that because I have him on ignore and wish ya'll would quit responding to his ignorance.