Democratic Rep. Katie Hill announces resignation amid allegations of relationship with staff member

Freshman Rep. Katie Hill, D-Calif., faced with allegations she had a sexual relationship with a staff member, announced her resignation on Sunday.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Hill called her resignation "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."

The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday it had launched an investigation into allegations Hill engaged in a sexual relationship with a staff member. Hill said claims that she was in a relationship with her legislative director are "absolutely false."

"This is what needs to happen so that the good people who supported me will no longer be subjected to the pain inflected 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 in her Sunday statement.

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Later, Hill tweeted: "To every girl and woman - to everyone who believes in this fight - this isn’t over."

Hill and her husband are going through a divorce.

The allegation of Hill's relationship with one of her staffers was first published by conservative website RedState.com. The site also posted a nude photo purportedly of Hill with another person, along with a second allegation that Hill had a relationship with an unidentified campaign staffer.

Hill acknowledged the relationship with the campaign staffer, who is not on her congressional staff, in her letter Wednesday and apologized, saying the relationship happened "despite my better judgment."

"The Committee notes that the mere fact that it is investigating these allegations, and publicly disclosing its review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee," Chairman Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., and Ranking Member Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Texas, said in a statement on Wednesday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that Hill "acknowledged errors in judgment that made her continued service as a Member untenable."

“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.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairwoman Rep. Cheri Bustos thanked Hill: "Congresswoman Katie Hill is a dedicated servant who brought an important perspective to our Caucus," Bustos said in a statement.

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In a Tuesday statement, Hill also said she contacted police after a nude photo of her was published online. She reiterated that statement on Sunday and she said is "pursuing all of our available legal options."

"However, I know that as long as I am in Congress, we'll live fearful of what might come next and how much it will hurt," Hill said in her statement.

Hill did not specify a resignation date in her statement. Politico was first to report Hill's resignation.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Katie Hill, California congresswoman, resigns amid ethics probe