California congresswoman resigns amid affair allegations

Representative Katie Hill of California announced Sunday she is resigning from Congress amid allegations of sexual relationships with a member of her congressional staff and a campaign staffer. “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 said in a statement she posted to Twitter.  

Hill admitted the relationship with the campaign staffer, writing to her constituents earlier this week, “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 the relationship had occurred during the last years of what she said was an “abusive” marriage.

Hill, 32, is in the midst of a contentious divorce and last week admitted to an extramarital relationship with a former campaign aide after a Republican blog published details of the relationship, intimate photos and other details of her ongoing split. 

The House Ethics Committee announced last Thursday that it was “aware of public allegations that Representative Katie Hill may have engaged in a sexual relationship with an individual on her congressional staff” and is investigating the allegations. 

Hill denied any relationship without congressional staffer, but did not address the allegations of a relationship with a campaign staffer. She said that the images were published by “Republican operatives” without her consent and that Capitol Hill police are investigating. She also acknowledges that she is going through a divorce, and said her husband was abusive and “seems determined to try to humiliate me.”

A relationship with someone from her official office would have been especially problematic because it would violate sexual harassment reforms Congress passed in 2018.

Hill won her seat from northern Los Angeles County last year, helping Democrats scoop up a record number of previously Republican-held seats in California. She held a senior position on the House Oversight Committee involved in the ongoing impeachment inquiry of President Trump.

Politico first reported Hill’s impending resignation.

Rebecca Kaplan contributed to this report.