Wednesday was one of the darkest days in our country’s history, and I want to make sure you heard directly from me.

I want to thank everyone who reached out and expressed concern. I was in the House Chamber when armed extremists breached the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol Police barricaded the doors and we sheltered in place until there was a secure exit to evacuate.

As a former Navy pilot, I’ve been trained for high-stress situations like these, but what we witnessed on Wednesday was not citizens participating in their constitutional right to protest. What we witnessed at the Capitol was rioting, trespassing, and violence in an attempt to stop me and my colleagues from fulfilling our constitutional duties to certify the election results.

Wednesday’s events were an obscene attack on our democracy.

These extremists’ actions were directly encouraged by President Trump who, aided by members of Congress, repeatedly perpetuated false claims of election fraud -- not in the interest of the American people, but in his own political self-interest.

I want to be very clear: We cannot tolerate a president who incites an armed insurrection and obstructs a peaceful transfer of power.

Cabinet officials must invoke the 25th Amendment and remove President Trump from office. If they cannot fulfill their duty, then Congress will be forced to once again stand up for our democratic values and use every power at our disposal to do so, up to and including impeachment.

Despite these flagrant attacks, democracy prevails.

My colleagues and I returned to the Capitol on Wednesday night, and among bullet holes and broken windows, we certified the election results and confirmed Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.

I have sworn an oath to uphold our Constitution many times over, and nothing -- not even dangerous attacks on our democracy -- will stand in the way of fulfilling my duty to the American people.

Thank you and take care,

Mikie