Friend: We've all seen the news by now. The Senate just acquitted Donald J. Trump for a second time, this time for his incitement of insurrection upon the Capitol. 

Before I go any further, I'd like to take you through my own personal experience on Jan. 6, when Donald Trump incited an angry violent mob to attack the Capitol. 

First of all, as somebody who spent more than two decades in law enforcement, I knew what it was like to go to work every day and know there was a chance I wouldn't come home to my family. I never could have imagined I'd experience that again as a member of Congress. 

And yet here I was, crouching on the floor of the House gallery, hiding from an angry mob. We were basically trapped in the gallery. I could hear the rioters banging on the doors, shouting, yelling. They were determined to break down the doors. And friend, I can tell you with the fullest confidence they weren't trying to break in to shake our hands or pat us on the backs.

We were in danger. Later, we learned they were looking for the speaker of the House, likely to kill her. They chanted "Hang Mike Pence," – hang the vice president of the United States. They erected gallows on the Capitol lawn. 

Anybody in their right mind who watched the footage from that day – let alone U.S. senators who were under siege themselves! – would conclude Donald Trump played an active role in what happened, one worthy of the charge of high crimes and misdemeanors. In their acquittal, the Republican Party has further proved that they are aligned with an extremist brand of politics. Their allegiance to Donald Trump is more important than allegiance to the American people and the Constitution they took an oath to uphold. 

I'd love to be able to simply move on from it all, friend. But the fact of the matter is the Republican Party has expanded their membership in the House with extremist members like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, more concerned with their guns and conspiracy theories than actually doing some good. So if we want to ensure the Biden administration can put its bold, inclusive agenda into action, then we've got to protect our Democratic House majority.

I'm not coming to you with a fundraising goal today. Right here, right now, the deadlines my fundraising team set aren't exactly on my mind. What I need is this team to stand united against the extremism that's taken root in the Republican Party. And what I'm asking is for you to donate whatever you can, straight from the heart. Doesn't matter if it's $1 or $100. To protect our House majority, can I count on your contribution?

We will fight on, friend. Thank you for being with me. 

Congresswoman Val Demings