A California gubernatorial candidate has been caught up in scandal after getting testy with staffers in a pair of videos—and now her ex-husband is offering his two cents.
Matthew Hoffman, who was married to former California congresswoman Katie Porter from 2003 to 2013, has lashed out at his ex-wife, saying the negative image people have of his ex is all true.
Speaking to the New York Post, Hoffman, 50, said Porter, 51, is a “master manipulator” who is the kind of person who makes it “hard to like politics.”
Porter has been ramping up her campaign for the 2026 California gubernatorial election, but has faced a series of public relations setbacks as her history of alleged aggressive clashes resurfaces.
Hoffman, with whom Porter went through a bitter divorce in 2013, claims that the former law professor would be a terrible choice for governor owing to her inability to get along with others.
“The amount of staff she goes through. The horrible things that she says [about others]… those aren’t fabrications,” Hoffman said.
Porter made headlines earlier this month when a video of her shouting at an aide in 2021 resurfaced.
“Get out of my f***ing shot!” Porter yelled during a video interview. She continued to yell in the clip, banging the table as she spoke to her staff member who had strayed into the camera’s view.
In a separate incident, Porter nearly stormed out of an interview with CBS News’ Julie Watts, calling the journalist “unnecessarily argumentative,” following a seemingly innocuous question.
“I don’t want to have an unhappy experience with you, and I don’t want this all on camera,” Porter told the reporter after a testy exchange stemming from a question about gaining support from Trump voters.
Hoffman said the question was a “softball” that she should have easily been able to answer.
Porter faced similar allegations of aggressiveness in 2022 when she was vying for a Senate seat, with one ex-employee claiming her behavior made multiple staffers cry.
Hoffman’s acrimonious divorce from the politician resulted in allegations of domestic abuse filed by both parties and a restraining order filed against him. Their three children currently live with Porter.
“Katie and her ex-husband divorced more than a decade ago and have a positive and productive relationship as they continue to co-parent their three children,” Porter’s campaign spokesperson Peter Opitz told the Post.
Earlier this month, Porter publicly apologized for her outbursts, saying that she “could have handled things better” and that she needs to do “a better job expressing appreciation for the amazing work that my team does.”
