Katie Hill calls out a ‘double standard’ in final floor speech

Outgoing Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) in her final floor speech Thursday called out a “double standard” she said led her to resign, highlighting the contrast between the allegations leveled against her and the multiple accusations of sexual misconduct against President Trump and other men in powerful positions. 

“I am leaving now because of a double standard,” Hill said, doubling down on her criticism of what she described as a misogynistic culture that works to “push a young woman out of power” while men accused of sexual crimes remain in top positions.

{mosads}“I am leaving, but we have men who have been credibly accused of intentional acts of sexual violence and remain in board rooms, on the Supreme Court, in this very body and — worst of all — in the Oval Office,” she added.

Trump has denied allegations of sexual misconduct. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh have also denied allegations of sexual misconduct made against them.

Katie Hill: “I am leaving now because of a double standard … I’m leaving because of a misogynistic culture that gleefully consumed my naked pictures, capitalized on my sexuality and enabled my abusive ex to continue that abuse.”
Via ABC pic.twitter.com/xRtjSwO6at

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 31, 2019

Hill, who announced Sunday she would be resigning, apologized to her supporters, staff and friends and said she would never shirk her own responsibility for her “sudden ending” in Congress. Her last day in office will be Friday, she said. 

“I am leaving because there is only one investigation that deserves the attention of this country and that’s the one we voted on today,” Hill said, following the House vote on a resolution setting impeachment procedures. 

“And so today, as my last vote, I voted on impeachment proceedings. Not just because of corruption, obstruction of justice or gross misconduct, but because of the deepest abuse of power, including the abuse of power over women,” she said.

Hill said her vote in favor of the impeachment proceedings was on behalf of women across the country.

“We will not stand down. We will not be broken. We will not be silenced. We will rise, and we will make tomorrow better than today,” she said.

Three fellow Democratic freshmen, Reps. Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Joe Neguse (Colo.) and Lauren Underwood (Ill.), sat in the chamber in front of Hill as she delivered her farewell address in a show of solidarity. They all approached Hill afterward to give her hugs.

Hill said in part she was leaving because she didn’t want “right wing media to drive clicks and expand their audience” by distributing nude photos of her distributed without her knowledge or consent.

She announced she’d be resigning earlier this week after the conservative website RedState and the Daily Mail published nude photos of her.

Hill said in her floor speech it was the first time she had left her apartment since the photos were published, adding that she’s had thousands of “vile, threatening” emails, calls and texts that made her “fear for her life” and the lives of those around her. 

Along with the publication of photos, reports alleged Hill had relationships with a campaign and legislative staffer.

Hill, who identifies as bisexual, admitted to having a relationship with a woman on her campaign. She denied having a relationship with a member of her legislative staff, which would be in violation of House rules.

She faced a House ethics probe ahead of her announced resignation. 

Hill has blamed the allegations on an “abusive” ex-husband she is divorcing and Republican operatives.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday the decision to resign was by Hill’s own choosing. She said she was “sad” to see the freshman lawmaker leave but respected her decision. 

Christina Marcos contributed