Holly MatkinLos Angeles, CA – A California state representative who resigned from Congress amid a sex scandal last year has been granted a temporary restraining order against her ex-husband amid allegations he physically and psychologically abused her for 15 years.
Former California Rep. Katie Hill, 33, has previously accused her now ex-husband, Kenneth Heslep, of releasing nude photos of her to media outlets, ending the freshman Congresswoman’s political career, the New York Post reported.
In her filing for the restraining order, Hill accused her ex-husband of abusing her throughout their 15-year relationship, to include harming and killing her pets, choking her to the point of unconsciousness, and threatening her with firearms, according to NBC News.
“While I considered filing a restraining order many times over the years, I was always afraid doing so would simply make matters worse,” Hill’s sworn statement read. “At this point, I am finally seeking a restraining order because I am afraid that he will not give up until I am dead.”
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted the temporary restraining order on Tuesday, the New York Post reported.
Heslep is prohibited from coming within 100 yards of Hill, her sister, her mother, and her horse, dog, and goat, NBC News reported.
Under the temporary restraining order, Heslep must also surrender his firearms, the New York Post reported.
He is required to either sell them, store them with a licensed firearms dealer, or give them to law enforcement.
The order will remain in effect until at least Dec. 30, when another hearing will be held to determine whether or not it should be extended.
Hill said she entered into a relationship with Heslep when she was 15 and he was 20, the New York Post reported.
They were married in 2010.
Hill alleged that during their relationship, Heslep repeatedly choked her during sex to the point she lost consciousness, pinned her against walls when he was angry, and allowed his dogs to kill her cat.
Hill, a Democrat, wrote in her sworn statement to the court that Heslep is “obsessed with guns and, at last count, had a least a dozen.”
“I would frequently find him with guns spread over the table while he cleaned them which was far, far more frequently than necessary,” she alleged. “He would ‘hide’ guns around the house in places he knew I would find them — such as in my clothing drawer, in the kitchen, in my office — which I felt threatened and intimidated by.”
Hill resigned from her political position less than a year into her first term amid an ethics investigation involving her alleged sexual relationship with a staff member, NBC News reported.
She blamed Heslep for allegedly disseminating her explicit photos and text messages to the media, the New York Post reported.
Hill, who is openly bisexual, was accused of having a three-way relationship with one of her 24-year-old campaign workers and Heslep, as well as a separate relationship with her legislative director.
Although she admitted to having had an “inappropriate relationship” with the campaign worker, she denied having violated U.S. House rules by having a relationship with her legislative director, the New York Post reported.
In her request for the restraining order, Hill alleged Heslep leaked the explicit photos in a successful attempt to destroy her political career after she had “gathered the courage to leave him,” according to the paper.
The couple’s divorce was settled in September, but Hill told the court Heslep is still leaking disparaging stories about her to the press.
“Apparently, running me out of Congress was not enough for Kenny,” she wrote in the filing, according to the New York Post. “He continues to try to ruin me, creating bizarre conspiracy theories and peddling lies to media outlets, doing everything in his power to continue his abuse and maintain any control he can over me.”
