EXCLUSIVE: 'She hoped her misconduct would not see the light of day.' Katie Hill's ex-husband accuses her of trying to gag him as he alleges she misused campaign funds and reveals how she let her insatiable sexual appetite and drinking lead to her downfall
Disgraced congresswoman Katie Hill’s former husband is accusing her of trying to ‘silence’ him to stop allegations she abused her office to sleep with staffers and misused campaign funds
The former Democratic congresswoman from California quit the House in 2019 after it was revealed she had a ‘throuple’ relationship with a staffer and she was investigated for ethics breaches by the House.
But this week she tried to gag her former husband Kenny Heslep from revealing a series of allegations about her conduct before and during her time in public office, seeking a restraining order which would bar him from speaking to the media about her sexual and financial history.
A judge delayed ruling on her demand until later this month, but did forbid Heslep from going near Hill, her family, or her pet dog, horse and goat.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Heslep previously detailed the allegations that Hill wanted kept secret from the public, including:
- That she had sex with three staffers
- That she had two three-way relationships
- That she used campaign donations for a ‘sex-cation’ with her then husband and the other member of their throuple
- That she drank and smoked marijuana excessively while serving as a member of Congress
Heslep told DailyMail.com that the restraining order was her attempt to discredit and silence him.
‘I believe that the main reason for the restraining order is that she was attempting to silence me from telling my side of the story,’ Heslep told DailyMail.com.
‘She was hoping that if she was granted a gag order that her misconduct would not see the light of day.’
Former Democratic congresswoman Katie Hill was intimate with three of her employees, shared a bed with a fourth staffer and had two three-way relationships, her ex-husband has claimed in a bombshell interview with DailyMailTV
Now in an exclusive interview, the 37-year-old described a tangled web of trysts that ended in scandal when his wife's throuple and alleged affairs with staff were revealed last year
The allegations cast Hill in a significantly different light from the image she has cultivated since stepping down last year.
The 33-year-old gave several prominent interviews, and wrote a book that will soon be a streaming movie starring Elisabeth Moss, building an image of a young, idealistic woman who made the simple mistake of forbidden romance amid an abusive marriage, accusing her husband of leaking 'revenge porn.'
She portrayed herself as a martyr, resigning from Congress for the good of her party and pledging to work to empower other women across the country.
And she accused her husband of 15 years of abuse, using her application for a restraining order to level fresh charges, including that he had almost choked her to death.
Heslep denies the allegations of abuse.
The 37-year-old Heslep described a tangled web of trysts that ended in scandal when his wife's throuple and alleged affairs with staff were revealed last year
In the interview with DailyMail.com, Heslep, gives his explosive account of her behavior that threatens to blow apart her carefully created image.
He claimed his ex-wife had sex with no less than three of her employees, shared a bed with a fourth staffer, and had two three-way relationships.
Heslep alleges that Hill had an insatiable sexual appetite which led her to cheat on him multiple times, smoked copious amounts of marijuana and became increasingly unstable.
The former husband claimed Hill's behavior destroyed personal and professional relationships and ultimately blew up her political career, leading to her resignation of representing California's 25th congressional district last year.
It also ended her marriage, with the couple quietly finalizing their divorce in October.
A spokesperson for Hill described the allegations as ‘false, defamatory and malicious,’ and accused Heslep of being a liar who is 'motivated by his desire to retaliate against Ms. Hill for exercising her right to leave the relationship.'
In a statement, the spokesperson added: 'Mr. Heslep will not give [Ms. Hill] the most basic entitlement everybody should have — the right to be left alone.'
However, DailyMail can disclose, the complaint against Hill filed with the Federal Election Commission remains pending.
Hill’s spokesperson denied that she was under investigation by the FEC.
DailyMail.com can disclose, Hill remains the subject of an FEC complaint arising from her use of campaign finances during her single, aborted, term in Congress. Heslep alleges Hill used donations for a 'sex-cation' with him and their girlfriend Morgan Desjardins (pictured with Hill on the Alaska trip) - who as a staffer on Hill's campaign - to Fairbanks, Alaska, in early 2018 and falsely claimed mileage expenses
Heslep also alleges Hill used donations for a 'sex-cation' with him and their girlfriend Morgan Desjardins - who as a staffer on Hill's campaign - to Fairbanks, Alaska, in early 2018 and falsely claimed their baggage expenses and flight to her campaign costs.
'On the trip to Alaska I know she was using the campaign card a lot, saying it was for campaign reasons. But it wasn't,' Heslep said.
'She would buy meals. We would joke it was a 'campaign lunch', but we weren't working there. We were all just hanging out.'
Heslep said the trip was from January 29 to approximately February 5.
FEC records show the average bill on the campaign's credit cards was $3,806 – but the bill for February 2018 was almost twice as high at $7,536.38.
The bill was categorized on the filings as 'Travel Expenses', but was not detailed further.
A leaked email obtained by DailyMail.com shows a receipt for $453.30 flight tickets from LA to Fairbanks, forwarded from Hill's personal email to her deputy campaign manager Ben Steinberger with the message 'Thank you!!!'
'On the trip to Alaska I know she was using the campaign card a lot, saying it was for campaign reasons. But it wasn't,' Heslep said. 'She would buy meals. We would joke it was a 'campaign lunch', but we weren't working there.' FEC records show the average bill on the campaign's credit cards was $3,806 – but the bill for February 2018 was almost twice as high at $7,536.38
Although no Alaska Airlines flight tickets were itemized in the campaign filings from the period, records mysteriously show the campaign paid a $50 charge to Alaska Airlines on February 11, 2018, with the description 'baggage fees for campaign staff flight'
Although no Alaska Airlines flight tickets were itemized in the campaign filings from the period, records mysteriously show the campaign paid a $50 charge to Alaska Airlines on February 11, 2018, with the description 'baggage fees for campaign staff flight'.
And a leaked email obtained by DailyMail.com shows a receipt for $453.30 flight tickets from LA to Fairbanks, forwarded from Hill's personal email to her deputy campaign manager Ben Steinberger with the message 'Thank you!!!'.
The FEC said they could not comment on the case until its conclusion.
'Agency regulations require confidentiality on enforcement matters that have not been closed,' a spokesman said.
The 37-year-old Heslep described a tangled web of trysts that ended in scandal when his wife's throuple and alleged affairs with staff were revealed last year.
In one 2017 fling, Heslep claims Hill cheated on both him and her campaign staffer Morgan Desjardins, who had joined them in a three-way relationship, with another employee.
Heslep revealed that even before bringing Hill's employee Desjardins, who was then 22, into their marriage, they had another live-in girlfriend for two years, who also worked under Hill at her Los Angeles homeless charity.
He revealed how their marriage spiralled into a dark and broken home life, where the former congresswoman would allegedly spend her nights smoking marijuana and drinking.
But Heslep said their relationship had not always been a disaster.
Heslep revealed that even before bringing Hill's employee Desjardins, who was then 22, into their marriage, they had another live-in girlfriend (pictured together) for two years, who also worked under Hill at her Los Angeles homeless charity
The couple have always been curious about unorthodox relationships – and got their kicks by posting naked pictures of Hill online. In 2016, Heslep shared a photo of his wife sunbathing naked in their backyard on the Reddit thread 'r/WouldYouF***MyWife' (pictured). Hill claims she was unaware that the photos were being taken
He told DailyMailTV he was 20 when he met Hill, then 16, at a Barnes and Noble bookshop where they both worked.
Heslep was quickly smitten with the 'funny, easygoing, adventurous' teen and the two spent much of their time rock climbing – where Hill was 'bold' and 'never afraid to throw for a hold'.
Hill had a fractious relationship with her mother, and decided to move in with Heslep and his parents after just two months of dating.
Heslep worked three part-time jobs, helping to put Hill first through nursing school then to earn her college degree.
The couple enjoyed experimenting and smoking marijuana on a trip to Amsterdam as part of a six-week backpacking vacation across Europe after Hill graduated, her ex said.
'We were always partners in crime. People called us K&K, because we were inseparable,' Heslep said. 'One of the first times we didn't spend the night together was in 2010, only because I was in hospital.'
Heslep said during their long conversations and pillow talk they often discussed bringing others into their relationship – though they didn't act on their desires for years.
'Pretty early on Katie came out to me as bi[sexual]. Nothing actually went down until October of 2010. That's when we met our first girlfriend,' he said.
'We met her online. It was originally just going to be playing around, extra-curricular activities. But we weren't into sex just for sex. We wanted to at least know the person, hang out with them, so it wasn't just in, out, see you later.'
Heslep said the main reason for having a throuple 'was to help Katie explore her sexuality', though he admitted 'there were perks for me as well of course.'
He said the relationship worked like any other – apart from a few extra rules.
'The sleeping arrangements were that the third was always in the middle,' he said.
He told DailyMailTV he was 20 when he met Hill, then 16, at a Barnes and Noble bookshop where they both worked. Heslep was quickly smitten with the 'funny, easygoing, adventurous' teen and the two spent much of their time rock climbing – where Hill was 'bold' and 'never afraid to throw for a hold'
'We were always partners in crime. People called us K&K, because we were inseparable,' Heslep said. 'One of the first times we didn't spend the night together was in 2010, only because I was in hospital'
Heslep worked three part-time jobs, helping to put Hill first through nursing school then to earn her college degree. The couple enjoyed experimenting, smoking marijuana and taking magic mushrooms on a trip to Amsterdam as part of a six-week backpacking vacation across Europe after Hill graduated, her ex said. Pictured: Hill and Heslep with her younger brother Danny Bennett. He died in January aged 20
Hill had a fractious relationship with her mother, and decided to move in with Heslep and his parents after just two months of dating. Pictured: Hill (far right) with her family in 2009
'Usually sex was all three of us, but pairing off was also okay. We would just let each other know,' he continued.
'We'd have date nights with each respective person. It's a relationship at large with three people, and it's three individual relationships.'
Heslep did not name the woman, but DailyMail.com has independently learned she was an LA-based charity worker, who was a 21-year-old college student at the time.
Heslep's mother, Kathy, said she was taken aback at first when she discovered her son had both a wife and a girlfriend.
But the family soon welcomed the other woman, inviting her to Thanksgiving dinner and even letting the throuple live with them for a month in 2011.
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