Friend,

I'll begin by acknowledging the terribly disappointing, yet not unexpected, news: the Senate's acquittal of Donald Trump.  Make no mistake, the Senate may  have failed to convict him, but Trump is not innocent. We all know what we heard and saw in the months leading up to Insurrection Day.  And thanks to my close friend Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington state (who also voted for impeachment), we have even greater insight into Trump's mindset on January 6th.

Jaime has been telling her story since Insurrection Day, but it has just started to garner attention from the national media.  She spoke with Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy soon after his call to President Trump as the rioters breached the Capitol.  In that call, McCarthy demanded the President publicly and forcefully call off the riot.  The President's response was chilling: "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are."

As we know, the President did not call off the attack, and watched and waited for several hours before telling his supporters to leave the Capitol and go home.

While the Senate ultimately voted to not call witnesses, Jaime Herrera Beutler was prepared to testify under oath about what she heard.  And her willingness to do so has placed another huge target on her back, including threats by Marjorie Taylor Greene and her Q disciples.  But Jaime is holding her ground and will not back down despite the threats and vitriol coming her way.  She puts our Country before Party -- and for that has earned our movement's first endorsement.

In the spirit of transparency, I want you to know that Country First is donating $5,000 (the maximum allowed by law) to Jaime's re-election campaign as she faces a tough primary fight for truth, decency, and ultimately her seat in a conservative district.  I will continue to support her in every other way I can, and I hope you'll join me.

Many of you have asked me what else you can do to help, and I hope the members of this movement will publicly encourage and applaud Jaime as a positive counterweight to the toxic attacks coming her way. 

COUNTRY FIRST ACTION ITEMS:

1) Visit Jaime Herrera Beutler's Facebook or Twitter page and thank her for putting Country First!

2) Donate to her re-election campaign. She will have the likes of Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Matt Gaetz campaigning against her. We cannot afford to have voices like hers replaced by Trump radicals.

Our movement's #1 ambition is making a positive change in our nation's politics by championing those who put Country First, even when their Party demands otherwise.  We want this movement to be different, which is why we don't pepper you with a steady stream of fundraising appeals.  However, I will let you know how to support the patriots who receive our endorsement, if you feel moved to do so.

Finally, I want to assure you that Country First is just getting started!  Donald Trump remains a powerful force in American politics and the Republican Party -- and our movement will continue to proudly offer a positive, hopeful, and truthful alternative.  I believe reasonable people of good-will, working together, can find solutions to pretty much any of our nation's problems.  An acquittal doesn't change that.  In fact, it inspires me to work even harder.

Thanks for everything, especially your encouragement!

Country First,

Adam