Rep, Katie Porter 'is rage-filled boss who racially abused staff,' veteran Sasha Georgiades says

Rep. Katie Porter, who this week announced her candidacy to be one of California's two senators in 2024, has been described as being a 'rage-filled boss' who 'racially abused staff' and covered up sexual harassment.

In addition, Porter has been criticized for firing a staffer, Sasha Georgiades, who is also a veteran and domestic abuse survivor, for giving her Covid-19 in August 2022. 

Porter announced her candidacy, despite the fact that longtime California Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, has not announced her retirement. 

This week Georgiades said in an interview with the National Review that she felt as though Porter was in politics for 'fame,' 'power' and 'herself.' 

Porter made headlines last week when she was pictured in Congress reading the book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k, amid the furor surrounding the voting for speaker. 

In December, Dear White Staffers, a popular social media account for insider political gossip, shared a text exchange between Porter and a staffer with the caption: 'VIBE CHECK: Rep. Katie Porter fires staffer after both test positive for COVID. Full texts from the Congresswoman firing the staffer via text. Shared with permission from staffer.' 

Porter, D-Calif., shows her book to Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., during the 15th vote to elect a Speaker of the House on January 7

Porter has been criticized for firing a staffer, Sasha Georgiades, who is also a veteran and domestic abuse survivor, for giving her Covid-19 in August 2022

The comments section of the Dear White Staffers saw other anonymous staffers air their grievances against Porter. One wrote that they had suffered 'multiple panic attacks' while working for the congresswoman. 

Another said that Porter was known for losing her temper at staff during fundraising call times. 

While another said that Porter was 'prone to fits of rage, regularly disparages anyone who even slightly disagrees with her or displeases her, and is incredibly arrogant, mean spirited and petty.'

Georgiades meanwhile told the National Review this week: 'I think she likes the attention. I think she likes being a well-known name, and being a Democratic sweetheart. 

She added: 'I think the fame and the power, with anybody, can turn somebody in a direction that they may not have been before. I think it’s becoming less and less about her actually helping, and more and more about her ego.'

In response to the interview, a member of Porter's team denied the allegation that she was a racist or prone to angry outbursts. While multiple staffers spoke glowingly about working with Porter. 

One, a combat veteran named Gage Sitzmann, described the liberal activist as a 'phenomenal mentor' and 'the brightest boss I’ve ever had.'

Porter was asked about the allegations in an interview with Pod Save America that was recorded Thursday. 

She said: 'I regret if this employee feels disgruntled. I’m willing to expect people to work hard. I work hard, and I think that’s what the American people should expect.' 

Leaked screenshots of text messages between Porter and former staffer Georgiades where the congresswoman tells the veteran 'you gave me Covid' and does not acknowledge the staffer's apology or her explanation that she had not tested for the virus because she was preoccupied with the death of a friend. 

The text exchange occurred in July, and Porter's office said the staffer was working on a two-year fellowship at the time that had long been scheduled to end in August. Georgiades also confirmed to Politico she was not fired but had been planning to leave.

'Congresswoman Porter was informing her that she would work from home for the remaining three weeks of her fellowship,' Porter spokesperson Jordan Wong told DailyMail.com last month. 

'Why did you not follow office protocol on testing? It's really disappointing,' Porter said in July. 'I'm terribly sorry. You're right I should have done better. Just because I felt okay in the moment doesn't mean I was,' the staffer wrote back.

'Sasha -- I cannot allow you back in the office given your failure to follow office policies. Cody will be in touch anout (sic) having your personal effects shipped or delivered to your home, and will lay out your remote work schedule and responsibilities for the last few weeks,' Porter said.

Georgiades went on to thank Porter and tell her: 'I hate to have disappointed you in the manner, as I know it isn't an excuse I had found out a friend from the navy had been murdered and my head wasn't in the right place. Not an excuse but the reasoning for the lack of forethought. I appreciate everything this office has done for me.'

Porter shot back: 'Well you gave me covid. In 25 months, it took you not following the rules to get me sick. My children have nobody to care for them.'

Georgiades was a Wounded Warrior Fellow who worked as a veteran and service member liaison in Porter's office. In 2019, Georgiades wrote a harrowing account of the rape she suffered at the hands of a former boyfriend in 2009. 

She said she held a Facebook Live event with Porter and tested positive shortly after. Porter texted her after she informed the office of the test and 'from that point out, she never said another word to me.'

Shortly thereafter, an ally of Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who's also expected to run, told NBC News it was an 'incredible mistake' to announce a run this week, as California was ravaged by storms and massive flooding.

Earlier this week, Porter announced in a video posted to Twitter that she was seeking the senate seat, arguing that 'California needs a warrior in the Senate.'

Shortly thereafter, an ally of Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who's also expected to run, told NBC News it was an 'incredible mistake' to announce a run this week, as California was ravaged by storms and massive flooding.

We're not playing politics in the middle of a natural disaster that has left people dead,' the Schiff insider said.

Schiff on Tuesday said he had been on the phone all day with mayors, county supervisors and the governor.

'We are getting hammered by these storms,' he told NBC. 'I've talked to the FEMA regional administrator about getting relief to Californians and that's where my priority, my focus is. And I think that's where we should all be focused right now.'

Rep. Ro Khanna, who represents the Sen. Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party, told the network he would be making a decision about a Senate run in the next few months.