John, 22 years ago today, I cast the most difficult vote of my career.

Following the horrific attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush asked Congress to vote on a 60-word war resolution that gave him and future Presidents nearly unlimited war powers, exactly the opposite of what the Constitution intended. I knew then, even while the grief was still fresh in our hearts, that it was the wrong decision.

So when the Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001 joint resolution came to a vote, I was the only person to vote against it.

I was seen as a radical. I was slandered as unpatriotic. I even received countless death threats. But I stood my ground. And I voted against the AUMF again in 2002 in Iraq. Now, decades later, the Democratic party agrees with my decision – including my current opponent Adam Schiff who voted for both wars.

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My father, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, was the first person to call me after the vote. He reminded me that we should never send our troops into harm's way without a clear plan, objective and exit strategy. And he was right.

John, I am the only candidate in this race who voted against giving the president the authority to wage endless war – both in Afghanistan in 2001 and again in 2002 in Iraq. So when the Senate voted to repeal authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq this spring, it marked a milestone in a mission that I've worked toward throughout my career in Congress. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned us of three connected evils in the world: Racism, poverty and militarism. I’ve spent my entire life fighting all three. That's why I'm running to be just the third Black woman in history to serve in the Senate – and I hope I have your full support, John.

I have a proven track record of fighting for what I know is right. And if I'm elected to the Senate, you can count on me to continue this fight for the things that matter most.

So I have to ask: Will you chip in $5 or more right now to help me win my primary and build a progressive future for all? Polls have me statistically TIED with my opponents, and I need your help to pull ahead.

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Thank you for being a part of my historic movement for change.

– Barbara Lee



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