California Democratic congresswoman Katie Hill resigned on Sunday amid a burgeoning scandal involving allegations she engaged in a relationship with a member of her staff.
Hill, 32, announced her resignation Sunday afternoon in a prepared statement posted to her congressional and campaign Twitter accounts.
“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,” Hill wrote.
“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.”
Ninety minutes after tweeting her resignation, Hill added in a second addressed to "every girl and woman -- to everyone who believes in this fight -- this isn't over."
Hill's resignation comes nearly a week after intimate photos of her and another woman were published by a conservative blog that included allegations that the congresswoman was involved in a relationship with a campaign staffer and separately, a congressional staff member. The conservative site published a series of articles that included texts that were reportedly between Hill, the campaign aide and her husband.
The congresswoman, who represented residents in the Santa Clarita Valley and portions of the northern San Fernando Valley, Antelope Valley and eastern Ventura County areas of Southern California, said in a statement last week that allegations of a relationship between her and a staffer were "absolutely false."
“The fact is I am going through a divorce from an abusive husband who seems determined to try to humiliate me,” Hill said. “I am disgusted that my opponents would seek to exploit such a private matter for political gain. This coordinated effort to try to destroy me and people close to me is despicable and will not succeed."
The House Ethics Committee announced on Wednesday they would begin an investigation into Hill who said she would cooperate with the House Ethics committee and that she'd contacted U.S. Capitol Police about the published photos.
The House voted in 2018 to prohibit sexual relationships between lawmakers and their staffers.
It's unclear when Hill's resignation would take effect.
Photo: Getty Images