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Hill, a 32-year-old Democrat who was under investigation by the
House of Representatives Ethics Committee, apologized for her
behavior but also denounced "gutter politics" and the
"right-wing media" for publishing intimate 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," she said in a farewell speech on the
House floor.
"Yet a man who brags about his sexual predation ... sits in the
highest office of the land," Hill said, in apparent reference to
President Donald Trump.
More than a dozen women have accused Trump, a Republican, of
making unwanted sexual advances against them years before he
entered politics. Trump has denied the accusations.
Hill, who is going through a divorce, has blamed her husband for
a "smear campaign" against her, and has said she is pursuing
legal options.
She said Thursday marked the first time she had left her
apartment since the photos were published earlier this month,
adding that thousands of "vile threatening emails, calls and
texts" had made her fear for her life.
Hill has apologized for having an "inappropriate" relationship
with a campaign staffer before entering Congress. But she has
denied other accusations that she had a relationship with a
congressional staffer.
Hill defeated incumbent Republican Steve Knight in a district
north of Los Angeles last year to help the Democrats win control
of the House. Her district is seen by election analysts as one
of the most competitive in the country.
While Hill's departure could help Republicans win back her seat
in November 2020, they still face an uphill climb in their
effort to regain control of the House.
(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; editing by Andy Sullivan and Tom
Brown)
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