Katie Porter, a former Democratic representative and current candidate for California governor, was seen in a recently surfaced video expressing frustration with her staff during a 2021 Zoom call. The video, which began circulating on social media on October 9, 2025, shows Porter reacting to issues with lighting during the call.
In the footage, Porter is heard saying, “I need the lights off! The bright lights…I need you to turn these off. These, that are killing me… not that dark!” as her staff attempted to adjust the lighting.
Another video published by Politico shows Porter during a July 2021 online meeting with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. In this clip, Porter can be heard shouting at a masked staff member who appeared in the background, “Get out of my f*cking shot!” She continued, “You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot,” while pounding her fists on the table.
Porter addressed the incidents in a statement to Politico: “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”
The release of these videos comes shortly after an interview between Porter and journalist Julie Watts. During the interview, which included nearly a dozen candidates for California’s upcoming gubernatorial primary in June 2026, Porter declined to answer whether she needed votes from Trump supporters. When pressed by Watts on the issue, Porter attempted to end the interview.
No further comment has been provided by Porter’s campaign regarding the videos or the interview incident.
