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Katie Porter Apologizes for Viral Videos, Declines to Rule Out More

Her first on-record comments seek to steady a frontrunning bid with the polling impact still unknown.

Overview

  • Porter told KTLA’s Inside California Politics that she "could have handled things better," said she is taking responsibility, and confirmed she apologized to the staffer in the 2021 clip.
  • The two videos fueling the controversy show a tense CBS Sacramento exchange in which she threatened to end an interview and a 2021 Zoom recording where she yelled "get out of my f---ing shot" at an aide.
  • Pressed repeatedly, Porter would not say whether additional unflattering videos could surface, instead reiterating that she is focused on earning voters’ trust.
  • Rivals have moved quickly to capitalize, with Antonio Villaraigosa and others airing ads featuring the footage and Democrat Betty Yee urging Porter to leave the race.
  • Porter entered the race as a polling leader in September, some unions and Democrats including the Teamsters and Rep. Dave Min voiced support, and no comprehensive new polling has been released since the videos.