Katie Hill, the trailblazing bisexual congresswoman, resigns amid affair allegations
Katie Hill has resigned from the House of Representatives. (Getty)
Democrat Katie Hill has resigned from the US House of Representatives following allegations she had an affair with a member of staff.
Hill tendered her resignation days after the House Ethics Committee launched an inquiry into the alleged relationship with a male congressional staffer.
The Californian lawmaker has denied the allegations, which she says are part of a “smear campaign” directed by her estranged husband, who she described as “abusive”.
“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,” she wrote.
The affair claims were first published by the conservative blog RedState, which also reported that Hill and her husband had been in a polyamorous relationship with a female staffer.
It also published nude images of Hill, which police are currently investigating.
During the final tumultuous years of my abusive marriage, I became involved in a relationship with someone on my campaign.
Hill denied any alleged relationship with the male aide, but has admitted to conducting a separate “inappropriate” affair with a female member of her campaign staff.
“During the final tumultuous years of my abusive marriage, I became involved in a relationship with someone on my campaign,” she wrote in a letter to supporters on Wednesday night.
“I know that even a consensual relationship with a subordinate is inappropriate, but I still allowed it to happen despite my better judgement. For that I apologise.”
The relationship – which is not a part of the Ethics Committee investigation – reportedly took place before Hill was elected to Capitol Hill in 2018, meaning it fell outside congressional rules on personal relationships.
Katie Hill cites ‘brutal’ invasion of privacy in resignation letter.
In her resignation letter, Hill said that she was stepping down to protect her supporters from “the pain inflicted by my abusive husband and the brutality of hateful political operatives who seem to happily provide a platform to a monster who is driving a smear campaign built around cyber exploitation”.
“Having private photos of personal moments weaponised against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy,” she continued.
“It’s also illegal, and we are currently pursuing all of our available legal options.
“However, 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.”
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. pic.twitter.com/nG97RQIwvO
— Rep. Katie Hill (@RepKatieHill) October 27, 2019
In her letter on Wednesday, she said that she “became involved in a relationship” with a member of her campaign staff during the “final tumultuous years of [an] abusive marriage”.
“I know that even a consensual relationship with a subordinate is inappropriate, but I still allowed it to happen despite my better judgement,” she continued.
“For that I apologise. I wish nothing but the best for her and hope everyone respects her privacy in this difficult time.”
Hill became California’s first openly bisexual person to be elected to congress in the 2018 midterm elections by unseating an anti-LGBT+ Republican.
She was part of a “blue wave” which saw the Democrats take control of the House with a record number of woman returned to Congress.
