Monday, the networks finally noticed the resignation of Democrat representative from California, Katie Hill, after nude photos were leaked of her online revealing she had an affair with one of her female staffers. But of course, instead of condemning the Democrat, ABC tried to put a liberal spin on the story, alleging there was a “double standard” for female politicians caught in sex scandals.
On Good Morning America Tuesday, co-anchor Cecilia Vega and correspondent Linsey Davis defended the Democrat as “fighting for her reputation” against sexist “double standards.” On the screen it read, “Congresswoman Katie Hill Fights Back.”
Vega hailed Hill as a victim of an unfair investigation, gushing: “She’s fighting for her reputation, after resigning in the face of an ethics investigation into her relationship with a staffer, sparking a debate about double standards.”
Davis continued raising concerns about sexism, claiming “questions are swirling” and “some are now calling her resignation a double standard.” Davis touted 2020 Democrat candidate Kamala Harris, who is plummeting in the polls, deflecting blame from Hill by attacking President Trump:
Overnight 2020 presidential contender Kamala Harris told Buzzfeed news that she, quote, ‘respected Hill's decision to resign but said let's also speak the truth that men and women are not held to the same standards,’ adding, ‘I mean, look at who's in the White House.’
Davis also pointed to California Republican congressman Duncan Hunter, who is facing his own allegations of corruption and affairs with staffers: “Some are also pointing to Representative Duncan Hunter, the California congressman has remained in office despite charges that he used taxpayer dollars to carry out multiple affairs including with people on his staff.” Davis didn’t point out, that the local GOP refused to endorse Hunter, while Democrats like Harris, are defending Hill in spite of the evidence against her.
NBC also went to bat for Hill. On Today, Morgan Radford gushed sympathetically, “Katie Hill had this very promising political future...But now her meteoric political rise has been cut short by what she calls a smear campaign of revenge porn powered by her political enemies and her husband.”
To read the full transcript, click expand:
7:15:39-7:17:25 AM EST
Good Morning America
29 October 2019
CECILIA VEGA: We turn to the fallout from the resignation of house Democrat Katie Hill. She's fighting for her reputation after resigning in the face of an ethics investigation into her relationship with a staffer, sparking a debate now about double standards. ABC’s Linsey Davis has the story.
LINSEY DAVIS: Questions are swirling this morning in the wake of the resignation of first term congresswoman Katie Hill, the 32-year-old from California's 25th district was facing an ethics investigation into allegations she had a relationship with a member of her congressional staff, an allegation she denies, though Hill does admit to a sexual relationship with a campaign staffer.
KATIE HILL: I'm hurt. I'm angry. The path that I saw so clearly for myself is no longer there.
DAVIS: Hill, who's in the midst of a nasty divorce, released a statement over the weekend announcing her resignation, calling her husband abusive and accusing him of leaking naked pictures of her that were later posted online. On Monday she pledged to battle revenge porn in this video to her supporters.
HILL: I will fight to ensure that no one else has to live through what I just experienced. Some people call this electronic assault, digital exploitation. Others call it revenge porn. As the victim of it, I call it one of the worst things that we can do to our sisters and our daughters.
DAVIS: Some are now calling her resignation a double standard. Overnight 2020 presidential contender Kamala Harris told Buzzfeed news that she, quote, ‘respected Hill's decision to resign but said let's also speak the truth that men and women are not held to the same standards,’ adding, ‘I mean, look at who's in the White House.’ Some are also pointing to Representative Duncan Hunter, the California congressman has remained in office despite charges that he used taxpayer dollars to carry out multiple affairs including with people on his staff. Now Hunter has plead not guilty. We reached out to Hill’s husband, but have not heard back.
