Katie Porter claims 'persistent abuse,' seeks restraining order against former partner
In her recent statement, Porter expressed concern over Julian Willis’ purported threats to disseminate “false” information to the media, emphasizing that it “poses a serious risk to my career and personal reputation.” Willis responded by asserting that the legal filing was a tactic to counter his own allegations against her.
TroibNews 
LOS ANGELES — Outgoing Rep. Katie Porter has secured a temporary restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, asserting to the court that his “persistent abuse and harassment,” which included sending her and her family and staff over 1,000 text messages and emails in three months, induced “significant fear for [her] personal safety and well-being.”
In her petition for a domestic violence restraining order, filed Tuesday with the Orange County Superior Court, Porter accused Julian Willis, her former romantic partner of several years, of sending numerous abusive messages aimed at inflicting “significant harm” to her public image.
A judge granted an order on Tuesday that prohibits Willis from contacting or approaching Porter and her children until a subsequent hearing set for mid-December. The judge also supported Porter’s request that Willis refrains from reaching out to her current or former employees or coworkers. However, the request for restraining orders for individuals not residing with her, such as her mother, was denied, as those individuals would need to file for their own orders.
The court filing includes allegations of threats to contact Child Protective Services to have her children removed from her custody, attempts to extort large sums of money, and “defamatory” false claims, such as accusations that she has genital herpes.
In her declaration, Porter mentioned that Willis is confronting substance abuse and mental health challenges, which have led to his two involuntary hospitalizations since 2022. She noted that although Willis had sought to confront these issues—attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings and residing in a sober living house in spring 2023—she has witnessed ongoing substance misuse, detailing, “I have observed him misusing prescription painkillers, snorting Ritalin, and abusing cannabis and nicotine patches.” Additionally, she stated that he has revealed his prior use of cocaine and nitrous oxide.
In a telephone interview with PMG, Willis, 55, argued that the restraining order was a preemptive move by Porter to hinder him from filing a lawsuit and seeking protection for himself and her children, as well as to stop him from speaking to the media. “This is her way of combatting all that,” he claimed, affirming that he has been sober for over three years, despite court documents indicating his acknowledgment of substance abuse and a commitment to sobriety in 2022.
Willis also provided communications with the University of California Irvine Police Department, accusing Porter of being “aggressive” and “violent” towards him and her children in mid-August. He had requested police supervision for his move out of her home. However, Porter, via a spokesperson, stated she was out of state when Willis moved, asserting she had no knowledge of police presence during that time. PMG has sought copies of these police reports independently.
“She’s a monster,” Willis remarked.
The filing arrives as Porter completes her last term in the House following an unsuccessful Senate campaign this year. A Democrat renowned for her anti-corporate stance, she is expected to resume her law teaching position at the University of California, Irvine, in January.
However, Porter, 50, has remained actively engaged in the public sphere, campaigning for fellow Democrats ahead of November's elections and positioning herself for a potential gubernatorial run in 2026, when Gov. Gavin Newsom will be term-limited.
The imminent return to political life is evident in Porter’s declaration. She expressed concern, stating, “He has already contacted at least three reporters to disseminate false and damaging information about me and my children. As a prominent political figure, this threat poses a serious risk to my career and personal reputation.”
Porter indicated that she had instructed Willis to vacate her home and cease contacting her in late August, even warning of potential court action to enforce his departure. After his move on August 23, he allegedly continued to send her numerous messages daily. Willis claimed his intent was to compel her into “prolonged psychiatric treatment” and threatened to “punish the fuck out of you,” as mentioned in her declaration.
In an email sent to Porter’s son and ex-husband, Willis warned, “If you don’t fully comprehend what is transpiring, right now, let me spell it out for you. The noose is tightening around Katie’s neck,” asserting that he “would bring the hammer down on Katie and smash her and her life into a million pieces.”
Porter included this email as well as a variety of other messages in a 22-page document accompanying her filing. These documents reflect Willis’ hospitalizations and disturbing outreach to coworkers, including at least one member of Congress, who shared their concerns about his messages.
Willis also reached out to Sen. Elizabeth Warren and her husband, asking to discuss the situation with the senator, who was Porter’s mentor at Harvard, as evidenced by court exhibits.
Porter requested that the judge issue a no-contact and stay-away order, mandating that Willis maintain a distance of at least 100 yards from her residence, workplace, and her children's schools. She also sought protection for her three children, aged 12 to 18, and her 78-year-old mother.
In her statement to PMG, Porter described the events as “a very unfortunate situation," acknowledging Willis’ “well-documented mental health and substance abuse issues.” She noted, “As the records filed today show, those issues have gotten increasingly worse since I ended the relationship and asked him to leave my house. In recent weeks, his threats against my family and my colleagues have escalated in both their frequency and intensity, and I feel I must ask for this order from the court. I sincerely hope he can get the help he needs.”
Willis had previously drawn attention in July 2021 when he was involved in a violent altercation at a Porter town hall in Irvine that erupted due to far-right protests. Following the incident, he was arrested and cited, after which Porter criticized the police response, labeling it “a disgrace” in a leaked text exchange with the city’s mayor.
Porter’s personal life has faced public scrutiny in the past. She previously disclosed court filings from her divorce with ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman, to the Huffington Post, responding to rumors about her marriage's dissolution, which threatened her initial House campaign in 2018.
In 2013, Porter had filed a restraining order against Hoffman after he allegedly punched a wall next to her. He subsequently filed a counter-restraining order, accusing Porter of being verbally and physically abusive.
In her 2023 memoir, Porter addressed her feelings about discussing her marriage's end, recognizing the political necessity while acknowledging her children's discomfort with such exposure. She stated, “Being a real person and having a real life is in fundamental conflict with American politics. There is no way I could’ve kept my privacy about domestic violence in my family and gotten elected. There were real costs to telling my story, and even as I pretended otherwise, I knew I was making a choice between my kids and my campaign.”
Emily Schultheis contributed to this report.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
In her petition for a domestic violence restraining order, filed Tuesday with the Orange County Superior Court, Porter accused Julian Willis, her former romantic partner of several years, of sending numerous abusive messages aimed at inflicting “significant harm” to her public image.
A judge granted an order on Tuesday that prohibits Willis from contacting or approaching Porter and her children until a subsequent hearing set for mid-December. The judge also supported Porter’s request that Willis refrains from reaching out to her current or former employees or coworkers. However, the request for restraining orders for individuals not residing with her, such as her mother, was denied, as those individuals would need to file for their own orders.
The court filing includes allegations of threats to contact Child Protective Services to have her children removed from her custody, attempts to extort large sums of money, and “defamatory” false claims, such as accusations that she has genital herpes.
In her declaration, Porter mentioned that Willis is confronting substance abuse and mental health challenges, which have led to his two involuntary hospitalizations since 2022. She noted that although Willis had sought to confront these issues—attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings and residing in a sober living house in spring 2023—she has witnessed ongoing substance misuse, detailing, “I have observed him misusing prescription painkillers, snorting Ritalin, and abusing cannabis and nicotine patches.” Additionally, she stated that he has revealed his prior use of cocaine and nitrous oxide.
In a telephone interview with PMG, Willis, 55, argued that the restraining order was a preemptive move by Porter to hinder him from filing a lawsuit and seeking protection for himself and her children, as well as to stop him from speaking to the media. “This is her way of combatting all that,” he claimed, affirming that he has been sober for over three years, despite court documents indicating his acknowledgment of substance abuse and a commitment to sobriety in 2022.
Willis also provided communications with the University of California Irvine Police Department, accusing Porter of being “aggressive” and “violent” towards him and her children in mid-August. He had requested police supervision for his move out of her home. However, Porter, via a spokesperson, stated she was out of state when Willis moved, asserting she had no knowledge of police presence during that time. PMG has sought copies of these police reports independently.
“She’s a monster,” Willis remarked.
The filing arrives as Porter completes her last term in the House following an unsuccessful Senate campaign this year. A Democrat renowned for her anti-corporate stance, she is expected to resume her law teaching position at the University of California, Irvine, in January.
However, Porter, 50, has remained actively engaged in the public sphere, campaigning for fellow Democrats ahead of November's elections and positioning herself for a potential gubernatorial run in 2026, when Gov. Gavin Newsom will be term-limited.
The imminent return to political life is evident in Porter’s declaration. She expressed concern, stating, “He has already contacted at least three reporters to disseminate false and damaging information about me and my children. As a prominent political figure, this threat poses a serious risk to my career and personal reputation.”
Porter indicated that she had instructed Willis to vacate her home and cease contacting her in late August, even warning of potential court action to enforce his departure. After his move on August 23, he allegedly continued to send her numerous messages daily. Willis claimed his intent was to compel her into “prolonged psychiatric treatment” and threatened to “punish the fuck out of you,” as mentioned in her declaration.
In an email sent to Porter’s son and ex-husband, Willis warned, “If you don’t fully comprehend what is transpiring, right now, let me spell it out for you. The noose is tightening around Katie’s neck,” asserting that he “would bring the hammer down on Katie and smash her and her life into a million pieces.”
Porter included this email as well as a variety of other messages in a 22-page document accompanying her filing. These documents reflect Willis’ hospitalizations and disturbing outreach to coworkers, including at least one member of Congress, who shared their concerns about his messages.
Willis also reached out to Sen. Elizabeth Warren and her husband, asking to discuss the situation with the senator, who was Porter’s mentor at Harvard, as evidenced by court exhibits.
Porter requested that the judge issue a no-contact and stay-away order, mandating that Willis maintain a distance of at least 100 yards from her residence, workplace, and her children's schools. She also sought protection for her three children, aged 12 to 18, and her 78-year-old mother.
In her statement to PMG, Porter described the events as “a very unfortunate situation," acknowledging Willis’ “well-documented mental health and substance abuse issues.” She noted, “As the records filed today show, those issues have gotten increasingly worse since I ended the relationship and asked him to leave my house. In recent weeks, his threats against my family and my colleagues have escalated in both their frequency and intensity, and I feel I must ask for this order from the court. I sincerely hope he can get the help he needs.”
Willis had previously drawn attention in July 2021 when he was involved in a violent altercation at a Porter town hall in Irvine that erupted due to far-right protests. Following the incident, he was arrested and cited, after which Porter criticized the police response, labeling it “a disgrace” in a leaked text exchange with the city’s mayor.
Porter’s personal life has faced public scrutiny in the past. She previously disclosed court filings from her divorce with ex-husband, Matthew Hoffman, to the Huffington Post, responding to rumors about her marriage's dissolution, which threatened her initial House campaign in 2018.
In 2013, Porter had filed a restraining order against Hoffman after he allegedly punched a wall next to her. He subsequently filed a counter-restraining order, accusing Porter of being verbally and physically abusive.
In her 2023 memoir, Porter addressed her feelings about discussing her marriage's end, recognizing the political necessity while acknowledging her children's discomfort with such exposure. She stated, “Being a real person and having a real life is in fundamental conflict with American politics. There is no way I could’ve kept my privacy about domestic violence in my family and gotten elected. There were real costs to telling my story, and even as I pretended otherwise, I knew I was making a choice between my kids and my campaign.”
Emily Schultheis contributed to this report.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
