A former congresswoman says her old congressional Twitter account was hacked by former staffers on Tuesday night, hours after it was announced that her memoirs would be adapted for TV.
Katie Hill served in Congress as the representative for California's 25th district in 2019. The Democrat defeated a Republican incumbent in the 2018 midterms, becoming the first openly bisexual woman to be elected to Congress. However, just months into her term, reports surfaced that she was having an affair with one of her staffers.
The disclosure of the relationship sparked an investigation by the House Ethics Committee. Hill resigned from Congress in November.
Amid the reports of her relationship with her staffer, nude photographs of Hill leaked online. Hill has alleged that the release of the photos was politically motivated and that her ex-husband was responsible for leaking them. Hill also claims that her ex-husband was abusive to her throughout their relationship.
In August, Hill released her memoirs, "She Will Rise: Becoming a Warrior in the Battle for True Equality." The book describes her experience of navigating the Washington Beltway and Capitol as a young woman with little prior experience in politics.
On Tuesday, it was announced that actress Elisabeth Moss ("The Handmaid's Tale," "Mad Men") would portray Hill in a TV adaptation of her book. Hours after that announcement, Hill's congressional Twitter account — which has been quiet since her regulation — tweeted a long thread condemning the TV adaptation.
"Katie's former staff here. Disappointed in so many folks - including Elizabeth Moss, @Blumhouse (Blumhouse Productions), & @michaelseitzman (producer Michael Seitzman) - regarding today's announcement," the thread started. "This is an incredibly sensitive situation. We appreciate the instinct to defend our former boss, an LGBTQ+ woman who faced abuse from her husband."
"What happened to Katie Hill shouldn't happen to anyone. But, this moment requires more nuance, as Katie Hill's story - our story - is also one of workplace abuse and harassment," the thread continued.
The thread went on to described Hill's inappropriate relationship with her staffer.
What happened to Katie Hill shouldn’t happen to anyone. But, this moment requires more nuance, as Katie Hill’s story - our story - is also one of workplace abuse and harassment.
— Rep. Katie Hill (@RepKatieHill) October 7, 2020
"Katie took advantage of her subordinates," the former staffer tweeted. "She caused immense harm to the people who worked for her, many of whom were young women just beginning their careers in politics. Workplace abuse and harassment can take many different forms, but one thing is certain: it is never okay, even if your boss is a woman and/or a survivor."
Hill addressed the hacking early Wednesday morning, saying that upon her resignation, she ceded control of the account to a clerk at the House of Representatives. She says she isn't sure who hacked the account from there.
Regardless of their author, the content of the hacked tweets is something I have talked about at length in my book, in podcasts and in countless interviews regarding my decision to resign, as well as the constant work and reflection I’ve done since then.
— Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) October 7, 2020
"Regardless of their author, the content of the hacked tweets is something I have talked about at length in my book, in podcasts and in countless interviews regarding my decision to resign, as well as the constant work and reflection I've done since then," Hill tweeted. "I look forward to continuing to have conversations around these issues and using my platform to support women in any way possible."
