Former Rep. Katie Hill Accuses Ex-Husband Of Abuse

LOS ANGELES, CA — Citing years of abuse and harassment, former Rep. Katie Hill obtained a restraining order against her ex-husband Tuesday.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered Hill's ex-husband Kenneth Heslep to stay at least 100 yards away from her, as well as her mother and sister. The restraining order follows the couple's divorce in October. Hill has claimed that Heslep was instrumental in her downfall, which began when nude pictures of her were leaked to and published in a right-wing media outlet. Hill's court filing for the protection order accused Heslep of choking her during sex multiple times and encouraging his dogs to attack some of her pets, according to the Los Angeles Times, which said attempts to contact Heslep were unsuccessful.

Heslep has previously denied allegations of abusing Hill.

Hill, a Democrat, resigned her seat in 2019 after news emerged that she had a three-way relationship with her husband and a campaign staffer. She was also accused of having an affair with a member of her congressional staff.

Hill, 33, accused her husband of releasing the photos in an act of revenge porn. Speaking in Congress in 2019, she decried 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."

The 25th Congressional District includes Santa Clarita Valley, and portions of the northern San Fernando Valley, Antelope Valley and eastern Ventura County.

The seat had long been held by Republicans until Hill's 2018 victory over then-Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale. After Hill's resignation, Republican Rep. Mike Garcia defeated Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith in a May 12 special election to fill the final 7 1/2 months of the term.

Garcia then beat Smith again by a razor-thin margin in November's election for a full two-year term.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.