Dear Friends, I’d like to give you an overview of what’s been going on with the government’s attempt to target my husband, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry. There have been new developments that I think you should know about. First let me say, our country needs leaders like Jeff who govern with purpose, clarity, and compassion. I have been so proud that for the last 17 years my husband has shown that kind of leadership as a member of Congress. He gets things done. Jeff has worked unbelievably hard for our home state of Nebraska and for our nation. From the beginning he has said that the strength of the nation depends on the strength of families and communities, and he promotes policies that support national security, economic security, and family security. He’s also a champion of religious liberty, the rights of conscience, and the protection of the most vulnerable, both at home and around the world. For instance, Jeff pressed the Obama Administration to declare the horrific attacks against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East a genocide so that international humanitarian action could be undertaken. That work made Jeff a hero to many, and he was later recognized with the Order of St. Gregory, a Catholic knighthood bestowed by the Pope. We have since learned that Jeff’s work apparently also made him a target. You may have read about some of this in the news. Jeff was the victim of a scheme to funnel illegal contributions to his campaign. And then he was further victimized by a dishonest and overzealous investigation by a California prosecutor and the FBI agents he directed. The prosecutor and his agents were dishonest with him, took advantage of his willingness to cooperate, and used it against him. Then they announced that they were indicting him for lying to the FBI. This accusation is entirely false. Jeff did not lie to the FBI or federal prosecutors. In fact, just the opposite is true: they lied to him repeatedly to create a bogus charge designed to take him out. But they targeted the wrong man. Throughout his career of public service, Jeff has been recognized by his constituents, his colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, and even his opposing candidates as an honest man. Everyone knows they can trust Jeff, even if they don’t always agree with him on policy or politics. His record shows he’s a man who will fight for what is right—and that’s exactly what he’s been doing in this case. Since the indictment was announced, support for Jeff has been overwhelming. Leading officials and activists across Nebraska praised Jeff’s integrity. His colleagues in Congress expressed similar views, along with serious doubts about the decisions of this California prosecutor. Jeff’s constituents continue to encourage him with their positive comments at home and online. That support has strengthened our morale. What has emerged about this investigation has reinforced the view that prosecutors and the FBI are engaged in an obsessive and deceitful pursuit of Jeff. This is a political trophy hunt. Motions from Jeff’s legal team have recently exposed crucial facts about this case that the prosecutors have attempted to hide or obscure. It has now become clear that the prosecutors knew Jeff had no knowledge of the illegal contributions to his campaign. So, they set him up by directing an informant to call him to feed him that information during a 10-minute phone call in 2018. Then, prosecutors waited nearly a year before sending the FBI to our house to surprise him and test him on information they had arranged to be given to him. You read that right: this case is about an approximately 10-minute phone call staged by the government, and Jeff’s ability to repeat the details of the call back to an FBI agent nearly a year later to the government’s satisfaction. Jeff has a long record of supporting law enforcement. Even though the FBI agents who came to our home initially lied about where they were from and why they were there, Jeff invited them into our home and answered their questions. They took advantage of this. We now know that Jeff’s trust in them was misplaced, at least in this case; and the choice to try to help them was a mistake. The government wasn’t done lying. Prosecutors later deceived Jeff and his attorney, former Representative Trey Gowdy, about Jeff’s role in their investigation, taking advantage of his willingness to cooperate and using it against him. Two years later, after the Trump Administration was replaced by the Biden Administration—and once it became clear that control of the House of Representatives would be at stake in the midterm elections—the California prosecutor told us that he planned to charge Jeff for lying to the FBI. This process has been deeply disheartening. We are blessed to have a strong family to support us. We are also fortunate to have an excellent team providing Jeff with outstanding legal representation. So many people have asked how they can help. Prayers are always the most helpful thing—they truly sustain us. We are also uplifted by kind words of support and encouragement. The financial cost to us is nearly as challenging as the emotional cost. Effective legal support is expensive and, as an elected official, Jeff is also battling the reputational impact of these false accusations. The government’s deceitful investigation is being exploited by others to advance their own political interests. If you can help us, please follow this link:

Thank you for your attention to our situation. I hope you’ll stand with Jeff as he endures these attacks and fights back. We remain hopeful that this process will all be over soon and Jeff’s innocence and integrity will be recognized. I look forward to sharing further updates with you as this fight progresses. Sincerely, Celeste

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