Ex-Democratic Rep. Hill ordered to pay nearly $220,000 in attorney fees to tabloid, journalists

A Los Angeles County judge ordered former California Democrat Rep. Katie Hill to pay almost $220,000 in attorney fees to a British tabloid and two conservative journalists over publishing nude photo of her.

"A judge just ordered me to PAY the Daily Mail more than $100k for the privilege of them publishing nude photos of me obtained from an abuser," Hill tweeted Wednesday. "The justice system is broken for victims."

Hill sued the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, and two conservative journalists, which she claimed had conspired with her ex-husband to distribute naked photos of her including one of her with a female campaign staffer, resulting in a scandal that led to her resigning from Congress in 2019. The lawsuit was dismissed earlier this year on First Amendment grounds, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Judge Yolanda Orozco awarded the parent company of the Daily Mail about $105,000 and for Hill  to pay roughly $84,000 to  attorneys of Jennifer Van Laar, managing editor of the conservative website Red State, and about $30,000 to lawyers for radio producer Joseph Messina.

Hill reportedly intends to appeal the judge's decision.