Friend,

It’s been quite a week.

I’ve emailed you a lot over the last several days, because, well, I needed and wanted your help as Trump and his far-right echo chamber went after me. And as you have again and again, you’ve had my back and I’m grateful. Your words of encouragement have made all the difference.

As this is such an historic period in our history, I wanted to slow down for a moment to share a few thoughts on where we are after a whirlwind of a week, and where we go from here.

For most of America and for the Congress, the past week felt like a turning point. With the release of a call record of a phone call between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the curtain has been pulled back on how the president deals with other leaders when he is confident the American people will never find out. Or worse, that there will be no repercussion if they ever do. No accountability.

What was so striking to me as I read the call record was how familiar it was. It was really the essence of Donald Trump. The disinterest in the job he was elected to do. The disregard of our national security. The singular inability to imagine something outside of his own self-interest. And then, of course, when it was time to dispense with formalities and the Ukraine President had made his request for more military support, there was Trump’s “I would like you to do us a favor, though.”

Nancy Pelosi said something this week that I think about a great deal, something Thomas Paine once said: “The times have found us.” They certainly have. The stakes are clear and they could not be higher.

Though Congress just recessed for a district work period, I’m going to be working through the recess, focusing on the task we have before us. Along with my colleagues and our staff, we’re leaving no stone unturned. We have a roadmap, and we are going to follow it - wherever it leads.

I’m going to be staying in touch throughout this process, but as we set out down this road, I wanted to say thank you for all your support. For your kind words. And above all for standing up when the times found us. Our values, our democracy, our nation are at stake, but together, we are turning the tide.

Sincerely,

Adam Schiff