MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CRIME & JUSTICE

'Disgrace!': California congresswoman Katie Porter criticized Irvin PD for arresting man she lives with

'Your police department is a disgrace,' texted Katie Porter to Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan after the man she lives with was detained for allegedly assaulting a pro-Trump supporter

IRVIN, CALIFORNIA: California Democratic congresswoman Katie Porter harshly criticized the Irvin police department for detaining the man she lives with after he allegedly assaulted a pro-Trump protester in July 2021. Porter called their officers a "disgrace" in a harsh text message to Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan after the incident. More than a year after the incident and less than a month before Porter takes on Republican Scott Baugh in a reelection campaign, Fox News reported the leaked text message in September. 

The fracas took place at Porter's first town hall after the Covid-19 pandemic began, which was held in Irvine. After allegedly giving a Trump supporter a bloody nose, Julian Willis was detained and charged for his alleged role. Porter and Willis' relationship is currently unknown. Porter has three children and is frequently referred to in her campaign literature as a "single mother." Matthew Hoffman, Porter's husband and the father of her children, was divorced in 2013 after Porter accused him of abusing her and her children both physically and mentally.

READ MORE

Who is Katie Porter? How she called out Big Pharma CEO on $13M salary and why she asked to chip in $5 for reelection

Trump supporter brandishes gun at unarmed women protesters after they allegedly splashed water on him

Porter appeared frequently in the media months after the bloody town hall, talking about the peril she claims she encountered and how it keeps reminding her of the January 6 riots. Porter, however, seemed to possess some animosity toward the Irvine Police Department following the assault. Porter texted Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan at the time, "Your police department is a disgrace." Porter added, "I will never trust them again," as Khan offered to call the congresswoman to discuss the situation. 

The congresswoman "was upset that a planned family-friendly town hall was hijacked by extremists, who made constituents feel unsafe, including using hateful slurs in front of children," Porter spokesperson Jordan Wong told Fox News Digital. Wong stated, "She was disappointed that despite our staff alerting police days before the event that the extremists were openly advertising their intention to disrupt the town hall, officers on the day of the incident were hundreds of feet away and did not intervene immediately when fighting broke out." He added, "Since then, Rep. Porter and our office have worked productively with the Irvine Police Department, including the Congresswoman hosting the new police chief in her office for a constructive and cooperative meeting."

Porter's Republican opponent in November, Scott Baugh wrote on Twitter, "Irvine has won 'Safest City In America' for 15 consecutive years. It is a disgrace to disrespect the officers who work tirelessly to keep the citizens of #Irvine safe."

One Twitter user responded in the comment section saying, "We need to respect officers but also hold them accountable when they don’t do their jobs or uphold the law."