Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., blamed sexism when pressed by "The View" hosts on staff mistreatment allegations against her during an interview on Monday, saying "bad boss" reputations were often attributed to women or people of color.
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked about the "toxic workplace" allegations.
An ex-staffer for the California Democrat alleged that the congresswoman made rude and racist comments to staff and said that she "ridiculed people for reporting sexual harassment."
Sasha Georgiades, a Navy veteran and former Wounded Warrior fellow for Porter, also alleged that she heard the progressive congresswoman use racial slurs when talking to staff. Porter also faced scrutiny after leaked text messages showed her berating Georgiades for catching the coronavirus.
"I’m incredibly proud of my staff, the book is actually dedicated to my staff and my volunteers. And I say this in the book and in the dedication and it's true, I may stand in front of them, but they are the ones that are leading the way for every viral moment you see, for every whiteboard that I get the word spelled correctly and I know what I’m talking about, there’s a ton of amazing people behind me and helping me and I’m so grateful for them," Porter responded.
She added that "lots of the so-called bad bosses" are women and "disproportionately people of color."
"I’m proud of my staff, I'm proud of the relationship we built, I'm proud to have them as my team moving forward," she said.
Porter was also pressed on her ex-husband's allegations of domestic abuse.
"In 2013 you requested and were granted an emergency protective order against your then-husband, who you say physically abused you. Your ex-husband has made his own allegations saying you abused him, but nevertheless, that you abused him physically and verbally during your marriage freight is any of that true? And what do you think this is really about?" co-host Sunny Hostin asked.
Porter, who is running for Dianne Feinstein's California Senate seat, said that when people are survivors of domestic violence, "people try to silence them."
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According to divorce documents received by Fox News Digital, Porter and her ex-husband, Matt Hoffman, both filed domestic violence restraining orders against each other after an April 2013 altercation at the home they shared while legally separated.
"So what I would say is that my kids and I and I think my ex-husband would all like to move on from this. All of these discussions are very, very hard on my children. I talk about in the book, that having to rebut this politically is maybe the only political decision I’ve ever had to make. The only, not to vote, not a campaign contribution, I have lived my values," she responded.
After Hostin said she was "surprised" it comes up politically, Porter criticized conservative media outlets for asking questions about the allegations.
"It only comes up in these contexts where people are trying to tear down a strong, outspoken woman," she added.
Fox News's Huston Keene contributed to this report.
