When we last left Congressional representative Katie Porter (D-CA), RedState revealed that she benefited from lower-cost housing in the high-rent district of Irvine, California, because she was still technically listed as on “administrative leave” from the University of California Irvine (UCI). Porter’s discount residence on the UCI campus is contingent on her being a professor with the institution.
This despite the fact that she has been in Washington, D.C. for the past four years pretending to represent her district.
In what is looking like a bad year for Democrats, the race between Porter and her opponent Scott Baugh is heating up, as more local constituents are turning their attention to this region. It appears someone is looking under the hood and finding more shady dealings by Porter that are being exposed.
In July 2021 Porter’s domestic partner was arrested by the Irvine Police Department, after an altercation with protestors at one of Porter’s Town Halls as reported by San Diego local ABC 7.
Police in Orange County said “punches were thrown” on Sunday at a political event in Irvine.
The fight took place Sunday at Congresswoman Katie Porter’s district town hall meeting, according to police.
Julian Willis, a 51-year-old La Jolla resident, was arrested and given a citation, then released, officials said.
Porter, who represents the 45th Congressional District, had billed the event as Policy in the Park, which kicked off at 3 p.m at Mike Ward Community Park on Lake Road in Irvine.
Irvine police, who had officers present at the event, said there “were opposing opinions at the town hall. It got heated and punches were thrown. One man received a bloody nose.”
Of course, the man’s name and the fact that he lives with the Congresswoman weren’t publicized at the time – and no one pointed out that the only person arrested for assault was a Porter supporter. The “scuffle” was characterized as white supremacists and “Trumpers” ambushing Porter.
Group of feral Trumpers led by far right candidate ambush Rep. Katie Porter event back in the district. https://t.co/1USq5gHAFE via @TPM
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 12, 2021
While Porter put on a public face of support, Fox News Digital acquired a text message chain between Porter and Irvine Mayor Farrah Kahn that revealed Porter was most unhappy with Irvine PD’s actions.
In the aftermath of the attack, though, Porter appeared to harbor some ill feelings toward the Irvine Police Department.
“Your police force is a disgrace,” Porter told Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan in text messages from the time exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital.
“I will never trust them again,” Porter also said as Khan offered to speak with the congresswoman on the phone about the situation.
As Porter’s opponent often reminds the people of Irvine, Porter is the chairwoman of the Progressive Caucus in the House of Representatives, she has championed social workers replacing police on domestic violence and mental health calls, and she was a co-sponsor and voted for the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act.
Roughly 1 in 4 fatal police encounters end the life of someone with mental illness, so it’s no surprise that this program is saving lives. Sending healthcare professionals—not police—when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis makes our communities safer for all. https://t.co/9FDbAxtGas
— Rep. Katie Porter (@RepKatiePorter) February 8, 2021
This is exactly why I introduced legislation to make it easier for local governments to send mental health professionals instead of police when 911 is called for a mental health emergency. We should connect those in crisis to care, not throw them in jail.https://t.co/lg5jneNt68
— Rep. Katie Porter (@RepKatiePorter) February 8, 2021
The Caucus’ most familiar faces are the infamous Squad: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ayanna Presley (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Cori Bush (D-MO). All of these representatives have vociferously called for defunding of the police, while also demanding private security and protections for their own personal, as well as professional use. After the incident in Irvine’s Great Park, Porter warned of the dangers she faced and how better protections needed to be given to congressional representatives.
Months after the violent town hall, Porter made rounds in the media talking about the danger she says she faced and how it reminded her of the January 6th riots.
Seriously?! If everything can be compared to January 6, then January 6 is really not all that unprecedented, is it? “Punches were thrown,” as the Irvine PD report alleges, is not the same as trespassing or a “riot.” Porter’s domestic partner Julian Willis was given a citation and released. Unlike the J-6 protestors, he is not rotting in a government-run gulag and being denied due process.
Doing these blanket comparisons to gin up outrage while fundraising off it diminishes actual violence and unrest, like what happened in major cities with the “Summer of Love” in 2020, after George Floyd’s death.
So, Porter basically milked the incident for tea, sympathy, and campaign dollars; but what she did behind the scenes, bitching over text to Irvine’s Mayor Khan, is what has raised eyebrows.
Since 2005, Irvine has won national recognition as America’s safest city of its size (population: 326,730), based on the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting statistics. Irvine has the lowest felony rates, and as opposed to any city in Los Angeles County these days, Irvine’s leaders work with Orange County law enforcement officials to ensure that crime remains low and encourages its residents to maintain vigilance to help ensure it stays that way.
So, Porter’s comments and duplicity are a slap in the face, not only to Irvine PD but to the leaders and residents who partner with the police department to keep the city safe and protect all residents.
Porter’s opponent, Scott Baugh offered this statement exclusively to RedState:
” ‘Open Border Porter’ has proven time and time again that she has no respect for the rule of law. Disparaging the Irvine Police Department for doing their job of arresting people who commit crimes is appalling. Irvine is a safe city because of the great work the police do.”
RedState reached out to both the Irvine Police Department and Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan for comment. No response was received at the time of publication.
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