In an exclusive from The New York Post, the ex-husband of Katie Porter revealed she is a “master manipulator” who represents “everything wrong with politics today.”
Matthew Hoffman, 50, told The Post that the fiery Democratic contender for California governor is a poor choice to lead the state. Citing videos showing Porter’s volatile temper and harsh treatment of staff and reporters, her ex of 10 years added, “It’s about time they came out.”
“The amount of staff she goes through. The horrible things that she says [about others] … those aren’t fabrications,” he warned The Post outside his home in Portland, Oregon. Hoffman, who divorced Porter in 2013, also said people are starting to see who his ex really is, and it’s people like her who make it “hard to like politics.”
Porter’s bid to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom has stumbled after an on-air clash with CBS reporter Julie Watts, whom she accused of being “unnecessarily argumentative” when asked how she’d appeal to Donald Trump supporters. Hoffman called it “the most softball question,” saying she simply needed to emphasize unity. Another clip later surfaced showing Porter shouting at a staffer to “get out of my f—ing shot” during a 2021 Zoom call.
This is Californian dem’s 2026 gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter in viral clip acting like crazy lady threatening to end the pre-recorded segment during CBS Sacramento interview, watch. pic.twitter.com/wTkvsQwgcw
— marinamillern (@Marmi4U) October 8, 2025
Hoffman — who shares three children with Porter after a bitter split — said she clashes even with top Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff.
“She can’t even get along with Nancy Pelosi,” he said, adding it was absurd for Porter to claim her Senate primary loss to Schiff was due to him trying to “rig” the election. Porter finished a distant third behind Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey.
“The system’s not rigged, Katie,” Hoffman said, calling it standard politics. Still, he admitted she’s “a master manipulator” and far from unintelligent.
Hoffman said true leadership requires building consensus, but argued that Porter’s personality makes her unwilling to hear opposing views or seek common ground.
Hoffman called their divorce “awful.”
Porter filed for divorce, obtained protective orders, and had Hoffman arrested after a fight in which he broke a light switch. He later sought his own restraining order, alleging she often insulted him and once smashed a coffee pot in anger.
“She wouldn’t let me have a cell phone because she said, ‘You’re too f—ing dumb to operate it,’” he claimed in court documents.
Hoffman alleged in court papers that in 2006 Porter lost her temper over how he made mashed potatoes, shouting, “Can’t you read the f—ing instructions!” before dumping a bowl of hot potatoes on his head, burning his scalp.
During her 2018 congressional run, Porter portrayed herself as a “victim of domestic violence” and a devoted single mom — a claim Hoffman disputed, saying she “loves to bang the drum” about it.
“I’m the most boring person in America. I’m a mom of three kids, I protected my family, I ended a marriage that was troubled,” Porter said.
The couple eventually settled their divorce without charges, finalizing custody and co-parenting arrangements.
Hoffman, now a compliance specialist with the Oregon Employment Department, said their three children live with Porter in Southern California. He keeps in touch through FaceTime but wishes for more in-person time. He rarely speaks with Porter, saying she only calls when she “wants something” about parenting. Originally from Oregon, Hoffman said he’s moved on with someone new but still feels the weight of their painful past.
And paired with the video of her Zoom call tirade against a staffer, it is clear who she really is.
You cannot pretend to be a good person.
Katie Porter definitely is not one. pic.twitter.com/Zptr2bFfpi
— 🇺🇸 Freedom Piper 🇺🇸 (@FreeThinkerInc) October 10, 2025
