New York Magazine - USA (2020-03-02)

march 2–15, 2020 | new york 43

hima forkatdinner. “It wouldturnintototalbelittling,like, ‘You
arecompletelyselfish,andyou’vegota Godcomplex,andthis
wholecampaignthinghascompletelygonetoyourhead,andif
anyonereallyknewyoulike I knowyou,there’s noway that you
wouldbeabletodothis,’” shesaid.(Heslep’s lawyersreleasedthe
followingstatementinresponsetoHill’spublicremarksregarding
theabuse:“Ms.Hill hasmadenoallegationsof abuseinherPetition
forDissolution.Mr. Heslepdeniesany allegationsofabuseor
wrongdoingoutright.” Heslep,notHill,filedforthedivorce,and
Californiais a no-faultstatethat doesnotrequireeitherpartnerto
provewrongdoing.)
Thebreakingpointwasa few weeksbeforetheelection.Hill was
havingsuicidalthoughts.“I triedtotalktohimaboutthat, andhe
basicallyturnedit aroundtobemyfaultandsaidtome,‘Well,if you
reallyfeelthatway aboutusandabouteverything,thenyoushould
godoit,’ ” shesaid.“Hekepttryingtohandmea gunandtoldme,
‘Well,if yougo upinthat corner, thennoonewillhearyou.’ ”
Thesuggestionwasevencruelerbecauseofa past incident:The
friendwhosesuicideHilltalkedaboutonthecampaigntrailhad
shotherselfonHillandHeslep’sproperty,whereshe’d beenliving
ina yurtwithherhusband.LosAngelesCounty detectiveMarcelo
Quinterosaysthe25-year-oldwomanwasfoundneara car, next to
a .22rifle,withbullets inherpocketanda gunshotwoundtoher

head,aftersheandherhusbandhadgottenintoa fightandshe

madeanominousphonecalltoherparents.Countyrecordsshow

herbodywasnotfoundforseveralhoursafterherdeath.“Some-

timesintheseareas,it’ s feasiblethat you’renotgoingtoheara shot,”

Quinterosays.

ThenightofHill’sconfrontationwithHeslep,shecalleda cam-

paignstafferandaskedhimtopickherupat 6 a.m., beforeHeslep

wasawake. Sheloadedherbelongingsintohiscar, andHilllater

drovetohermother’s house.StevensonsaysHeslepcalledherthat

night.Assherecalls,“He said,‘I don’t givea fuckaboutherpolitical

career,I willdestroyher. Sheneedshelp.’ ” (Hill’s stepdadoverheard

thethreat,anda campaignstafferwhowaspresentalsoconfirmsit.)

Heslepsentflowersandcards,anda coupleofweeksbeforethe

election,Hill wentbacktohim.It waseasiertopretendthingswere

okay. “I knew at that pointI wasgoingtoleave.It wasjust a matter

oftime,”shesaid.

WinningtheelectionprovidedHillwitha clearexit:Shemoved

toD. C.withoutHesleporMorganandgotanapartmentwithfellow

HousefreshmanLaurenUnderwoodofIllinois.Forthemost part,

shereturnedtoCaliforniaonlyonweekendsforshort tripspacked

withworkevents.ByMay,shehaddecidedtoendtherelationship

withbothHeslepandMorgan.Nowthat she’d beenelected,“I knew

I can’t beinthisrelationshipwithMorgan,”shesaid.“AndI also

After her resignation speech.