U.S. Rep. Katie Hill Announces Resignation from Congress.

The Signal, Sunday, October 27, 2019 | Video by Rep. Katie Hill, Monday, October 28, 2019.

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U.S. Rep. Katie Hill, D-Agua Dulce, was elected in November 2018 to represent the 25th Congressional District, which includes the Santa Clarita, Antelope, Simi valleys. She lives in Agua Dulce and grew up in Saugus where she attended Highlands Elementary, Arroyo Seco Junior High and Saugus High School before going on to CSUN and obtaining a master's degree in Public Administration through the University Center at College of the Canyons.

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After weeks of mounting rumors regarding allegations about her personal life, following leaks of personal pictures and text messages that led to a House Ethics Committee investigation, Rep. Katie Kill, D-Agua Dulce, announced her resignation Sunday.

Hill announced in a tweet Sunday afternoon at 4:03 p.m.:

"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."

Emily Burns, her chief of staff, was not immediately available for comment.

When reached by phone Sunday afternoon, Hill said she wasn't planning to resign at the beginning of the leaks of personal pictures and texts, but it became clear there were "hundreds of pictures and texts" that were being threatened to leak.

"They've made it clear that this is their purpose — to force me to resign, and I want to make sure I can do it in a way that allows me to do it with some shred of dignity and allow me to continue to work in my community," she said.

Once that became clear to Hill, she said she held a meeting with her team and was planning to work with House leadership to wrap up her congressional work.

"I had just told my staff," Hill said Sunday. She said she did not have a definitive date for when her last day would be, as of Sunday.

Hill said the incident left her terrified for future women who might want to run for office.

"I think this is the barrier that made it impossible for me to continue successfully," she said, referencing the as-yet unleaked photos, and what she called cyberbullying in reference to nude photos of her that had been leaked on the internet, and stories regarding an affair with a staffer, which she again denied Sunday, which prompted a House Ethics Committee investigation last week.

It was clear in conversation with Hill she believed the divorce proceedings she was in the midst of were related to the leaks. However, she said despite the initial leaks, she was ready to continue until it became clear there was much more coming.

"'OK, they've done it, what else can there be?'" she said, describing her initial reaction in discussion with the team. "And then we literally find out that there's been hundreds more."

She said she was surprised the personal attacks didn't come out during what she described as one of the most expensive campaigns, considering the national attention on the race. Hill became the first Democrat to represent the 25th Congressional District in 2018, after it was held by Republicans for more than 26 years. She said she planned to help Democrats keep the seat after she stepped down.

"It's unprecedented," she said, in reference to the leaks. "It's something that I can't operate under."

[Text of letter follows]

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.

This is what needs to happen so that the good people who supported me will no longer be subjected to 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 weaponized against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy. 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. That's a feeling I know all too well. It's the feeling I decided to leave when I left my marriage, and one I will not tolerate being forced upon others. I can no longer allow my community, family, friends, staff, supporters, and especially the children who look up to me as a role model, to suffer this unprecedented brand of cruelty.

For the mistakes made along the way and the people who have been hurt, I am so sorry, and I am learning — I am not a perfect person and never pretended to be. It's one of the things that made my race so special. I hope it showed others that they do belong, that their voice does matter, and that they do have a place in this country. That is something I believe with all my heart.

Those of you who know me personally know that I'm a fighter. And it's thanks to countless other fighters who supported me that we were able to stand up for the ideals we believe in. Now, my fight is going to be to defeat this type of exploitation that so many women are victims to and which will keep countless women and girls from running for office or entering public light. Thank you for allowing me to turn my focus to this particular battle right now, and know that I stand with you as we continue to fight for the many important issues that brought me to Congress in the first place. I love this country, I love all of you, and I thank you for allowing me the great honor of serving you.