Katie Hill

Representative Katie Hill resigned after photos were released that showed her having sexual relations with a campaign staffer.  There are allegations that she might have had relations with a congressional staffer.  The latter is against House rules put in place after #MeToo exposed predatory and untoward sexual relations between members and staff on Capitol Hill.

There has been a lot of talk about double standards based on gender, and no doubt that it true.  Hill is the first openly bisexual member of the House, and that no doubt feeds into the prurient interest in her sex life and the associated fact that the subordinate was a woman.  The accusations of double standard usually note that Duncan Hunter - also from California, but a Republican - continues to serve, despite far worse accusations against him.

But perhaps a better analogy is Duncan Hunter, but Al Franken.  Franken's behavior was bad and unworthy of a US Senator.  He might have weathered the storm, and perhaps some sort of political comeback exists in his future.  But he resigned, because he felt his status was damaged.  He could no longer do his job.  Hill made much the same point.

Hunter, however, is a Republican.  His primary loyalty is to Republican voters and the Republican party.  He is completely uninterested in the opinions of those who think sexual harassment is wrong, which ipso facto does include Republican voters and the Republican party.

We have entered a universe where one political party has shame and the other doesn't.  One party holds itself to its ideals and an idea of justice and fairness and one doesn't.

Yes, gender played a role in Hill's treatment and her decision to resign.  But don't pretend the moral bankruptcy of the GOP wasn't also an important part of this double standard.