Rep. Katie Hill Acknowledges Relationship With Campaign Staffer

U.S. Rep. Katie Hill has acknowledged that she had an "inappropriate," although consensual, relationship with a female campaign staffer and says it has now led to a smear campaign against her.

Hill, the only out bisexual House member, has also denied she was in a romantic or sexual relationship with a man who works on her congressional staff.

She is now under investigation by the House Ethics Committee because of allegations of the relationship with the congressional aide, which would be a violation of House ethics rules. The investigation does not involve the relationship with the campaign worker.

The California Democrat issued a statement to media this week after the conservative blog Red State published allegations of both relationships, along with a photo of Hill and the campaign worker, in which Hill was nude. Red State also claimed Hill and the campaign staffer were part of a "throuple" with Hill's husband, Kenny Heslep, whom she is now divorcing. Then Thursday, the U.K.'s Daily Mail published more photos of a nude woman it identified as Hill, and her attorneys have sent a cease-and-desist letter to the paper.

In her statement, Hill wrote, "In the final tumultuous years of my abusive marriage, I became involved in a relationship with someone on my campaign. I know that even a consensual relationship with a subordinate is inappropriate, but I still allowed it to happen despite my better judgment."

"For that I apologize," she continued. "I wish nothing but the best for her and hope everyone respects her privacy in this difficult time."

Some media outlets have identified the woman, but The Advocate will choose to respect her privacy and not publish her name.

In her statement, Hill called Heslep "an abusive husband who seems determined to humiliate me." She did not specifically accuse him of distributing the photos, but she did say, "Distributing intimate photos with the intent to publish them is a crime, and the perpetrator should be punished to the full extent of the law."

Hill says she has notified Capitol police and they are investigating.

She reiterated her denial that she had been having an affair with her legislative director, Graham Kelly. She said she is cooperating fully with the Ethics Committee's investigation into the matter.

"This smear campaign will not get in the way of the work I am doing every day to move our district and our country forward," Hill continued, and thanked her colleagues and constituents for their support, adding, "Out of respect for the law enforcement and the Ethics Committee, I will not have more to say on the subject until their work is concluded."

The letter to the Daily Mail, obtained by The Washington Post, called the photos it published "spurious" and said Hill is "prepared to take all necessary means to protect her rights and to protect herself from an unprecedented, unwarranted and extraordinarily offensive invasion of personal privacy."

Hill was elected last year from a district in Los Angeles County, defeating homophobic incumbent Republican Steve Knight. It was the county's last remaining congressional district with a Republican representative. She has been seen as a rising star in Congress and is vice chair of the House Oversight Committee, which is conducting the investigation that could lead to Donald Trump's impeachment.

At least one bisexual activist expressed concern that coverage of Hill's situation could reinforce stereotypes about bi people. Robyn Ochs told the Washington Blade she was worried it would lead to negative stories about bisexuality and polyamory when it should be "a story about a legislator who had an inappropriate relationship with a campaign staffer." Such a relationship between consenting adults would not be illegal, however.

"It is a dynamic of oppression that any action committed by any member of a stigmatized group that conforms to stereotypes of that group will be seen as reflective of the entire group," Ochs added.