October 31, 2019

In Resignation Speech, Katie Hill Blasts “Misogynistic Culture” That Enabled Abuse

She took aim at the double standard that has allowed Trump to continue his presidency.

(Tom Williams/Getty)

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During her resignation speech on the House floor Thursday afternoon, Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) took responsibility for mistakes she had made that helped end her brief career in Congress. But she also denounced the “misogynistic culture” that pushed her out of office while preserving Donald Trump’s presidency.

In recent days, conservative publications have posted nude photos of Hill, which she said were taken without her knowledge. Hill has suggested that the photos were released by her estranged husband, Kenny Heslep, who she says was abusive. (Heslep’s father has said that Heslep denies leaking the photos.) Hill announced her resignation Sunday amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into whether she had an affair with a congressional staffer, an allegation she has denied. She has also acknowledged a consensual but “inappropriate” relationship with a campaign staffer. After apologizing to her supporters Thursday, Hill took aim the media outlets that published the photos.

“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, this time with the entire country watching,” Hill said. “Today is the first time I’ve left my apartment since the photos—taken without my consent—were released. And I’m scared.”

Hill noted that, earlier in the day, she cast her final vote—to formalize the ongoing impeachment investigation—”on behalf of the women of the United States.”

“The forces of revenge by a bitter, jealous man; cyber-exploitation and sexual shaming that target our gender; and a large segment of society that fears and hates powerful women, have combined to push a young woman out of power,” she said. “Yet a man who brags about his sexual predation, who’s had dozens of women come forward to accuse him of sexual assault, who pushes policies that are uniquely harmful to women, and who has filled the courts with judges who proudly rule to deprive women have the most fundamental rights to control their own bodies, sits in the highest office of the land.”

* This story has been revised.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

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