A former California congresswoman who owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to media parties she unsuccessfully sued over the publication of salacious pictures while she was in office has filed for bankruptcy protection.
The move could allow Hill to avoid paying attorneys' fees if it succeeds. After a judge dismissed her lawsuit, the financial judgments were rendered in 2021.
California's revenge porn law was brought into question by the suit.
Hill's attorney said that she had no choice but to file for bankruptcy because of the ruling's financial toll.
Carrie Goldberg said that it was a broken system where the sensible use of our legal system to adjudicate fundamental breeches to their sexual privacy resulted in such financially punishing consequences for daring to file a legal case that bankruptcy is the last resort.
Hill did not reply.
Hill was criticized for not paying the court ordered remuneration.
Krista Lee Baughman said thatHill's latest move in seeking to discharge her debts in bankruptcy is yet another example of her attempt to avoid responsibility for her errors. The purpose of the bankruptcy process was not to allow politicians with means to make money to avoid consequences of their actions. We will be pursuing the questions we have about this filing.
A lawyer for the Daily Mail didn't say anything. The representatives of Red State did not reply to the request for comment.
Hill became a rising Democratic star when she flipped a traditional GOP congressional district.
As Hill was going through a divorce, Red State published stories that she had an affair with a female campaign staffer, and that she and her husband had a sexual relationship with another woman. nude pictures of Hill holding a bong and sunbathing were published by the Daily Mail.
Hill admitted that the relationship with the campaign worker was inappropriate but denied having an affair with a congressional staffer. Republicans reclaimed the seat after she resigned.
Her revenge porn lawsuit was filed a year later.
The media defendants argued that Hill's suit failed to meet the requirements of the statute due to a "public interest" exemption in the law and that they had a 1st amendment right to publish information about an elected official.
The courts ruled that Hill owes the parent companies of the Daily Mail and Red State hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hill owed her attorneys a lot of money.
There will be a phone hearing for the case.
The story was originally published in the LA Times.
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