Hi John, 

This email is a bit longer than the ones I normally send, but I have a lot to say about this issue. 

I first ran for Congress because I saw a broken political system, one that ignored working families and instead served powerful interests. I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless, and a representative for women, young people, queer people, who don’t often get a seat at the table. 

And then, I was forced out by a coordinated cyber-attack from Republican operatives and right-wing media outlets — one of the worst cases of dirty gutter politics in recent memory. And my life since has been forever changed. 

Since leaving Congress, I’ve dealt with lots of anxiety, feared for my safety, but I never stopped believing that what happened to me was unfair. I stepped down from my position after being blackmailed with pictures published without my consent — but there are dozens of men credibly accused of sexual assault who sit in boardrooms and elected offices to this day. 

It’s important for me to stand up and call out this double standard, so that women — especially young women and queer women — know that there is still a seat for them at the table. We cannot let my story scare them off from jumping into the fight, from daring to stand up and claim power. 

And I need you with me — because we’re more powerful together than we are on our own. 

I need my former colleagues to get the message loud and clear: Revenge porn needs to be made a federal crime. It’s essential that we protect others from what I went through. And we now have a chance to get it done. 

Please, John, take a moment to sign our petition to pass the SHIELD Act before it’s too late.

Thanks for having my back, then and always. I’m glad to have this team with me in this fight. 

— Katie