Katie Porter Married Young, Divorced Loud — Ex-Husband Citing Explosive Mashed Potato Incident

You can’t make up a story that starts with politics, takes a detour through domestic court filings, and ends with scalding mashed potatoes. But somehow, that’s exactly what happened when Katie Porter married her college sweetheart, only to find herself in one of the most bizarrely publicized divorce sagas.

It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. It’s kind of unforgettable — and not just because of the potatoes. The details that surfaced after her split with ex-husband Matthew Hoffman included restraining orders, broken dishes, screaming matches, and accusations that cut both ways. Years later, just as she was gaining national attention, the story came back — with mashed potatoes in tow.

Katie married Matthew Hoffman in 2003, according to PrimeTimer. The couple had three children together and lived in Orange County, Calif. By 2013, their marriage had ended in divorce.

Katie went on to become a professor of bankruptcy law at the University of California, Irvine, and eventually launched a political career. Her messy history, however, followed her into the spotlight.

In a 2013 request for a restraining order— first reported by Daily Mail Online — Matthew alleged that Katie was verbally and physically abusive throughout their marriage. He claimed she routinely called him names like “f--king idiot” and “f--king incompetent,” smashed household items, and threw objects at him during arguments, including toys and books.

In one particularly vivid allegation, Matthew shared an explosive argument about preparing dinner that happened in 2006: Katie allegedly shouted, “Can’t you read the f--king instructions!” and proceeded to dump a bowl of steaming hot mashed potatoes on his head. He said the food was so hot that it burned his scalp and caused it to peel.

He also claimed that Katie ridiculed his intelligence, refused to let him have a cell phone, and undermined him in front of their children. According to court records, he alleged the children began mimicking her behavior — spitting at him and calling him “bad daddy.”

This is the part of the story that stuck. Of all the allegations made during the divorce, the mashed potatoes became the headline — partly because of how surreal it sounded.

When Katie launched her campaign for U.S. Senate in 2023, the mashed potatoes story was rediscovered and quickly went viral. Conservative outlets used it as ammunition. Social media treated it like tabloid fodder. Even those unfamiliar with her politics suddenly knew her name — for reasons that had nothing to do with whiteboards or oversight hearings.

Katie strongly denied Matthew’s allegations. In her own 2013 request for a restraining order, she accused him of being the abusive one. According to her filings, as cited in the New York Post, Matthew once called her a “dumb b----h,” a “despicable person,” and told her she should “rot in hell.”

She also alleged that he screamed at their young son, shattered a bathroom light switch in anger, and once threw a newspaper at her during a confrontation. A judge granted Katie a restraining order.

In later interviews, Katie has publicly referred to herself as a survivor of domestic violence. In her 2018 campaign, she said, “I protected my family. I ended a marriage that was troubled.” Katie refers to herself as a single mother of three who “escaped domestic violence.”

No criminal charges were filed by either party, and the court did not issue any public findings of fault. The damage, however, was done — emotionally, politically, and publicly.

It’s easy to laugh at a story that involves mashed potatoes. This marriage, however, was marked by serious accusations, mutual restraining orders, and a complicated family dynamic — one that ended in a courtroom, not a kitchen.