US lawmaker resigns over affair with staffer
Katie Hill apologised for the mistakes made along the way
Washington, Oct. 28: US Representative Katie Hill, who is under investigation by the House ethics committee over an alleged relationship with a congressional staffer, said that she was resigning from Congress.
Hill, a California Democrat who was elected to the House of Repres-entatives in Nov-ember 2018, posted her resignation letter to Twitter, saying she believed it best for her constituents, community and the country.
Hill has admitted to an “inappropriate” relationship with a campaign staffer when she was running for Congress but denied she had a sexual relationship with a staffer in her office.
The ethics committee said it was “aware of public allegations (that Hill) may have engaged in a sexual relationship with an individual on her congressional
staff,” and said it was investigating. Hill, who is going through a divorce, apologised in her resignation letter for “mistakes made along the way” but also lamented a “smear campaign”.
Hill blamed her husband and said she was pursuing legal options “Having private photos of personal moments weaponised against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy,” said Hill, adding, “It’s also illegal.”
Hill serves on the House Armed Services and
Oversight and Reform Committees, where she is also vice chair. Her district is seen by election analysts at the Cook Political Report as one of the most competitive in the country.
Although Hill’s departure could help Republicans win back her seat in November 2020, they still face an uphill climb in their effort to regain control of the House.