Democratic California Rep. Katie Hill, who is facing a House Ethics Committee investigation for an alleged romantic relationship with her congressional staffer Graham Kelly, also paid him the highest bonus she paid out to staff working on her campaign.
According to Federal Election Commission documents, Kelly, Hill’s legislative director, was paid $5,100 described as a “2018 election bonus” on April 27.
Three other campaign workers received bonuses starting at $2,700, but Kelly raked in the most money. He started working for Hill in May 2017 during the primary and into the general election, earning a bimonthly $2,100 salary in the primary and $2,600 every two weeks, one year later in the general election.
Kelly started working in Hill’s congressional office in January 2019 and makes around $75,000 annually, an average rate for employees who have his title.
Hill, who is public about her bisexuality, found herself facing questions when the release of a naked photo of her brushing the hair of female campaign staffer Morgan Desjardins was posted to the conservative website RedState.
According to FEC records, since April 2019, Hill’s campaign paid just over $14,000 in fundraising-related consulting fees to Desjardins, paying out around $2,500 most months. Between 2017 and 2018, Desjardins made around $50,000 as a senior campaign staffer.
Text messages between Desjardins, Hill, and Hill’s estranged husband were also released on the site showing a sexually open three-way relationship that eventually soured after Hill won her congressional seat and went to Washington.
Kenny Heslep, who is in a bitter divorce battle with the Democratic congresswoman, accused Hill of having an affair with Kelly on Heslep’s now-deleted Facebook page. Hill denies she ever had an inappropriate relationship with Kelly and accuses Heslep of creating an “abusive relationship” in their marriage.
However, after Hill left Heslep in California to go to Washington back in June, according to court records, it was Heslep who initiated the divorce proceedings in July between the couple and requested spousal support. According to Heslep’s divorce claim, Hill wanted Heslep to be a house husband and she controlled all the couple’s finances.
Kelly admitted last week she had an intimate relationship with Desjardins and apologized to her constituents for engaging in sexual relations with a subordinate. Although House ethics code does not expressly ban members from relations with campaign staff prior to coming to Congress, members are forbidden from having intimate relationships with congressional staffers.
