Ethics Battle Explodes in California Race

May 16, 2026

Woman in blue suit waving while seated with microphone

A new leak fight in California is turning Katie Porter’s staff video into a test of ethics, accountability, and political credibility.

Quick Take

Porter says a Tom Steyer campaign staffer leaked the video after working on government material for the Department of Energy.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Kevin Liao, now a Steyer spokesperson, was supposed to film and edit the video for government use.
Steyer’s campaign denied that the candidate had anything to do with the leak.
CNN said it had no evidence to support Porter’s accusation during a recent interview.

What Porter Is Saying About the Leak

Katie Porter is arguing that the video of her yelling at a staffer was not just embarrassing campaign footage, but government material that was misused after the fact. ABC7 News reported that Porter said the video was “official government work” and that taking government property for personal or campaign purposes could raise ethics and legal questions ^[1]. That framing matters because it shifts attention from her conduct in the clip to how the footage entered the political arena.

Porter’s claim now sits at the center of a larger dispute about motive and method. Fox News reported that Porter accused Tom Steyer of leaking the video and said she had been told it came from the Department of Energy ^[2]. CNN host Dana Bash responded that the network had no evidence Steyer leaked it ^[2]. That leaves Porter with a serious allegation, but also leaves the claim unproven in the public record.

What the Reported Paper Trail Shows

The Los Angeles Times reported that a briefing memo shows Kevin Liao, now a Steyer spokesperson, was supposed to film and edit the video for the Department of Energy and put it on social media . ABC7 News likewise said the Times reported Liao was involved in filming and editing the footage for official work ^[1]. If that reporting is accurate, the key question is not whether the video existed, but whether government work product was later diverted into campaign politics.

Steyer’s campaign has denied that the candidate had anything to do with the leak, and Fox News reported that a spokesperson said Porter was trying to shift attention away from her own controversies ^[2]. That denial does not settle whether a staffer played any role, but it does show the campaign is pushing back hard. For voters, the bigger issue is trust: if the video came from official work, then the public deserves a clean explanation of who handled it and why.

Why the Story Matters in a Tight California Race

The underlying video already damaged Porter’s gubernatorial bid, according to ABC7 News ^[1]. That alone shows how a single clip can shape a race before facts are fully sorted out. Porter now appears to be trying to turn the leak itself into a separate controversy, while her opponents are pointing back to her conduct in the video and to the lack of proof behind her accusation ^[2]. In a state known for expensive campaigns and partisan gamesmanship, that is a familiar but ugly pattern.

Katie Porter blames Tom Steyer staffer for leaked video yelling at employee https://t.co/HsHlzZa2YB

— Deepoints (@DeepointsNews) May 15, 2026

For conservative voters, this is another reminder that government work and campaign politics should stay separate, even in a state where those lines often blur. If public resources were used improperly, that deserves scrutiny. If Porter is wrong about Steyer’s role, then her accusation only adds more partisan noise to an already messy race. Either way, the story reflects the kind of political theater that leaves ordinary taxpayers and voters paying the price.