...What the Democratic Party could learn from first-term Congresswoman Katie Porter

[babylonsister]

March 25, 2020
YouTube Sensation. Progressive in a Purple District. Single 
Mom.
What the Democratic Party could learn from first-term Congresswoman Katie Porter
By Rebecca Nelson


Katie Porter is full of questions. There’s Would you be willing to share your Social Security number, birthdate, and address at this public hearing? That’s what she asked Equifax CEO Mark Begor when he came to testify about his company’s massive data security breach at the House Financial Services Committee (he declined). There’s Are you lying to a federal judge or are you lying to me and this Congress? She flung that one at Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan after pointing out the inconsistencies in his company’s legal arguments and public statements (he resigned two weeks later). And there’s the instant classic Do you know what an REO is? That one was for Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson (she was talking about the acronym for “real estate owned,” a common industry term; he thought she was talking about an Oreo cookie). These questions are the moments that, in Porter’s first year in Congress, ricocheted across the internet and made her a rising star among the MSNBC class.

A first-term Democratic congresswoman from Orange County, California, Porter regularly eviscerates witnesses who testify before the House Financial Services Committee, which was not known for compelling television until she joined it. Clips of her cross-examinations now have hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. At a recent event in her district, a woman tried to get a picture with her, concluded the photo line would be impossible, and took a star-struck selfie with Porter in the background instead. Before a town hall that evening, at the end of a long line of attendees that went out the door of the community center, I overheard a woman who looked to be in her 70s tell a friend, “Katie Porter is my spirit animal.”

It’s unusual for anyone other than the most devout political junkie to know the name of a freshman House member. At least that was true until the 116th Congress, which has produced “the Squad,” the four first-term freshmen Democrats known for their online followings and far-left politics. Porter has gone a different route. In just over a year, the former law professor has established herself as a YouTube celebrity, a prolific fundraiser, and a progressive who also works with Republicans to pass serious legislation. In a political era defined by Donald Trump, the Democratic Party has been going through a full-blown identity crisis. What should the party look like? What should it sound like? Porter, who represents a district that, before her election, had never sent a Democrat to Congress, offers an intriguing model for how the party might move forward.

Porter, who’s 46, has a warm, over-caffeinated energy, some of which is innate and some of which comes from Starbucks cold brews and a minifridge full of Diet Dr Pepper. She’s unfailingly polite, even when grilling witnesses. While questioning Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in October, she responded to one of his answers with a genuine, not at all sarcastic, “Super!” When I first met her in early November, she greeted me with a story about how Politico had confused her with Katie Hill, the other Southern California freshman Democrat named Katie, who had just resigned from office after allegations of sexual misconduct. Porter told me this conspiratorially, leaning in as if she were delivering gossip to an old friend. Then she shook her head and laughed. “Dipshits.”

That was, I soon discovered, classic Porter, who’s known among her colleagues in Washington for her dry sense of humor. In an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, she told the host, who had just revealed he was “squishy” about abortion because his mom had considered ending her pregnancy with him, “Look, your mom made her choice, and we’re all here with the consequences of that choice.” The audience went nuts. Maher looked aggrieved.

more...

https://story.californiasunday.com/katie-porter-congress?fbclid=IwAR3X5QoYd5bCVZBXksmXZ5iaBYsMAcS-TZWYHGEpzIwpCd7pkaibU_sG3ds

[Faux pas]

1. Kicketty Kickin'

[LakeArenal]

2. Lawrence O'Donnell and I are in love with her.

She’s worthy of some Administration position for sure.
Even VP. I hope she might be one of the non- primary candidates. I sure wish no primary candidate. But that’s me.

[FoxNewsSucks]

3. Porter has proven to be one of the

most effective and knowledgeable members of congress. We need an entire democratic majority made up of people like her.

[lagomorph777]

8. She should be a mentor to Dems throughout DC.

But I don't know whether it's possible to teach what she has!

[Guilded Lilly]

4. Kickin' for my hero, Katie!

[Hav]

5. I missed that moment with Maher

It's here and starts at 1:40:

I suppose you don't see many owning Maher like this, he looked completely dumbfounded because her delivery was so perfect.
I also had no idea that Warren was one of her profs and that Porter named a daughter after her.

[Bluepinky]

7. Love her! Maher was speechless a few times.

She’s smart and witty, a great combination.

[2naSalit]

6. Truly a role model for many.