Freshman Rep. Katie Hill Katherine (Katie) Lauren HillObama counsels NBA players on forming a social justice committee Republicans cast Trump as best choice for women House GOP campaign chairman insists party will win back majority MORE (D-Calif.), a rising star in the Democratic Party and a member of Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE's (D-Calif.) leadership team, said Sunday she is resigning from office amid allegations she had inappropriate sexual relationships with congressional and campaign staffers.

"It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress," Hill said in a statement. "This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community, and our country."

It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community, and our country.



See my official statement below. pic.twitter.com/nG97RQIwvO — Rep. Katie Hill (@RepKatieHill) October 27, 2019

The stunning development comes just four days after the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into allegations that Hill, 32, had violated House rules by engaging in a sexual relationship with a staffer in her office.

Hill, who identifies as bisexual, had forcefully denied that allegation, though she admitted she had engaged in a relationship with a campaign staffer before she was elected to Congress. Hill last week apologized to her constituents for that dalliance, calling it “inappropriate.”

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House rules bar sexual relationships with office staff, but the prohibition does not extend to campaign aides.

The allegations of Hill’s relationships first emerged in an Oct. 18 report on RedState, a conservative news site, and the Daily Mail followed with a similar story a few days later. Several nude photos of Hill were leaked to the publications, triggering the ethics complaint. Hill and her attorneys have said she is going through a messy divorce and that she is the victim of revenge porn by “an abusive husband.”

Over the weekend, new reports emerged that Hill had paid a campaign aide she had been romantically involved with a $5,100 bonus.

Politico first reported news of Hill’s resignation.

In her lengthy statement, Hill suggested she was resigning to stop some of her supporters from being dragged through the mud.

“This is what needs to happen so that the good people who supported me will no longer be subjected to the pain inflicted by my abusive husband, and the brutality of hateful political operatives who seem to happily provide a platform to a monster who is driving a smear campaign built around cyber exploitation,” Hill said.

“Having private photos of personal moments weaponized against me has been an appalling invasion of my privacy. It's also illegal. And we are currently pursuing all of our available legal options,” she added.

The news, which shocked Washington, brings an abrupt end to the congressional career of a young Democrat who was already on a leadership trajectory and making a name for herself in the diverse caucus.

Hill flipped a Republican seat in last year’s midterms, defeating then-Rep. Steve Knight Stephen (Steve) Thomas KnightThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by The American Investment Council - Pelosi touts T bill as Fauci stresses go-slow openings The Hill's Campaign Report: A Los Angeles House seat is in play for Republicans Democrats on edge over California special election nail-biter MORE (R-Calif.), and was elected to represent the large class of Democratic freshmen at Pelosi’s leadership table along with Rep. Joseph Neguse (D-Colo.) She was also tapped as the vice chairwoman of the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee, one of the three panels leading the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE.

Republicans already had been targeting Hill’s seat this cycle, and her resignation will bolster their efforts. But California’s 25th District — which includes parts of northern Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County — has been trending bluer in recent cycles.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida Hillicon Valley: Productivity, fatigue, cybersecurity emerge as top concerns amid pandemic | Facebook critics launch alternative oversight board | Google to temporarily bar election ads after polls close Trump pledges to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, designate KKK a terrorist group in pitch to Black voters MORE won the district by more than 6 percentage points in the 2016 election. And Hill defeated Knight by nearly 9 percentage points in the 2018 Democratic wave election.

“Congresswoman Katie Hill came to Congress with a powerful commitment to her community and a bright vision for the future, and has made a great contribution as a leader of the Freshman Class," Pelosi said in a statement Sunday night. "She has acknowledged errors in judgment that made her continued service as a Member untenable. We must ensure a climate of integrity and dignity in the Congress, and in all workplaces.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) also released a statement shortly after the announcement.

“California voters are completely disgusted at what they’ve seen from the socialist Democrats these past ten months," NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer Thomas (Tom) Earl EmmerHouse Democrats' campaign arm reserves .6M in ads in competitive districts The Hill's Convention Report: Trump to attack Biden at final night of convention | Speech comes amid hurricane, racial justice protests | Biden accuses Trump of 'rooting' for violence Republicans cast Trump as best choice for women MORE said.



"Democrats’ efforts to abolish private health insurance and their endless obsession with removing President Trump from office make it clear they aren’t serious about delivering for the hardworking men and women of this country," he added.



"We look forward to winning back this seat and giving voters in CA-25 someone they can be proud to support," Emmer continued.