Katie Porter Apologizes for Behavior in Viral Videos at First Public Forum

In an interview with CBS Sacramento, Congresswoman Katie Porter expressed frustration at the questioning before attempting to remove her microphone to end the conversation. The discussion continued, and Porter later remarked, “I don’t want this all on camera.” Following the interview, Porter acknowledged on Friday that she “could have handled that interview better” and stated, “I think part of my job is to be honest with voters about that.”

Porter also addressed a leaked video in which she directed a staff member to “Get out of my f—ing shot!” during a virtual meeting. When asked by reporter Julie Watts about her apology to the former staff member, Porter confirmed, “I apologized in real time when that happened because it was inappropriate — right then and there and I knew it.” She emphasized her desire for her staff to feel valued.

As the representative for Orange County, Porter has gained recognition for her assertive questioning of Trump administration officials and business leaders. However, her recent behavior has drawn criticism, including attacks from other candidates in the Democratic governor’s race. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa even purchased ad time on CBS Sacramento to re-air the interview, while former State Controller Betty Yee called for Porter to withdraw from the race.

Polls from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies indicate Porter leads a wide field of candidates to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, who is termed out. However, 38% of voters remain undecided.