Katie Porter says she regrets viral outbursts at reporter, staffer

California gubernatorial candidate and former Democratic lawmaker Katie Porter admitted she "could have handled things better" following the emergence of viral videos capturing her outbursts against a reporter and a staffer. 

In one of the videos, Porter became agitated with a reporter and nearly cut an interview short. In an older video that Politico reported is from 2021, the politician snapped at a staffer to "Get out of my f---ing shot!" after the person entered the video frame behind Porter. 

"When I look at those videos, I want people to know that I understand that I could have handled things better," Porter said on the Inside California Politics show. "I think I’m known as someone who’s able to handle tough questions, who’s willing to answer questions, and I want people to know that I really value the incredible work that my staff can do."

"I think people who know me know I can be tough, but I need to do a better job expressing appreciation for the amazing work that my team does," she added. 

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Then-Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., is seen on May 28, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Demand Justice)

The clip of Porter threatening to walk out on CBS California's Julie Watts during an interview went viral last week. 

Porter snapped at Watts' questions, grew visibly impatient with her follow-ups and even attempted to leave at one point in frustration, calling the interviewer "argumentative." After being pressed, Porter told Watts that she doesn't "want to have an unhappy experience" with her and that she doesn't "want this all on camera." 

"I want to make sure that people understand why I am in this race and what I am fighting for. I think when I’m traveling the state, what I’m hearing from people is that they understand that we are in a very extraordinary moment," Porter said this week on Inside California Politics. "That what is happening with Donald Trump attacking our economy and our society, our longstanding challenges with affordability, people know that they are going to need someone who is going to be strong, who is going to be tough, who is going to be a fighter and who is going to push." 

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Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., speaks at the "Just Majority" Supreme Court press conference on June 22, 2023, in Washington, D.C.  (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Just Majority)

"I think if people are looking for someone who is going to sit in Sacramento quietly and kind of rubber-stamp things, that’s not me. But I absolutely could have handled things better," she also said. 

In the other clip, then-Rep. Porter, D-Calif., was speaking remotely with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about energy and climate issues. At one point, a staffer walks into the frame, prompting Porter to snap and yell, "Get out of my f---ing shot!" 

She also scolded the staffer for having appeared in the background before. 

"You were in my shot before that," Porter said. "Stay out of my shot." 

Porter revealed this week that she apologized to that staff member. 

Rep. Katie Porter speaks during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee business meeting in Washington on Jan. 31, 2023.  (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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"I expressed that I was sorry, that I had lost my temper, that I had been frustrated in the moment, and I told her I was grateful that she had taken the time to correct me," she said. "We were able to redo the shot, I got the facts right." 

Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg, Alexander Hall, David Rutz and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.