Former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos announced that he will run for Rep. Katie Hill’s vacated California House seat after the lawmaker resigned amid allegations that she engaged in relationships with staffers.
Papadopoulos rose to prominence as the Trump campaign aide that triggered the FBI’s Russia investigation after he bragged to an Australian diplomat that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He later served two weeks in federal prison for lying to federal investigators in the Mueller probe.
“I love my state too much to see it run down by candidates like Hill. All talk, no action, and a bunch of sellouts,” Papadopoulos tweeted on Sunday, before adding on Monday, "Announcement soon on my interest in Katie Hill’s soon to be vacant seat in the 25th district!"
Papadopoulos may have been tipped off about Hill leak:
Hill resigned after the conservative blog RedState published a nude photo of her and alleged that she had a “throuple” relationship with a female campaign aide and her husband. The blog also alleged that Hill was involved in a relationship with a congressional staffer. Hill, who is openly bisexual and in divorce proceedings with her estranged husband, admitted to a relationship with a female aide but denied a relationship with a congressional aide.
Papadopoulos appeared to know something was coming a day before the RedState report dropped.
“California’s 25th congressional district looks like it’s for the taking,” he cryptically tweeted.
Reporter behind Hill story worked for GOP:
The reporter who published Hill’s nude photo later published another nude photo at The Daily Mail. Neither report disclosed that she previously worked for two Republican candidates who ran against Hill, Mediaite reported.
A Republican operative told CNN that he was in possession of 700 images of Hill and published a blog post before the RedState report bragging about it.
The operative later told Playboy Washington correspondent that he told the National Republican Campaign Committee about the photos prior to the RedState story.
