Overview
- The Los Angeles Times reported a Department of Energy briefing memo that listed Kevin Liao as an expected participant on the 2021 Zoom with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and said his team would edit the video for social media.
- Politico later obtained an outtake showing Katie Porter scolding a staffer during that recording, and the clip hurt her campaign once it circulated.
- Porter has accused Tom Steyer’s campaign of leaking the outtake and now calls the matter a possible government ethics violation involving use of federal material.
- Steyer’s campaign denies any role, Granholm says she did not leak it, and Liao—now a Steyer spokesman whose firm has been paid over $45,000 by the campaign—declined to comment.
- The fight is unfolding as voting is underway and an Emerson College poll shows Porter at 10% behind Xavier Becerra at 19% and both Steve Hilton and Steyer at 17%.