Vote Vets Sign Up Information

Friends -

We’re going to be honest with you... this is going to be a tough week. So we’re coming right out and asking:

Will you make a $3 contribution to our end-of-month fundraising goal? The deadline is this Saturday and we’re relying on you to help us fight back against the holiday fundraising slump.

With the holidays coming up, it’s completely understandable that most folks are making a plan for what dish to make for dinner or which big game to tune into afterward. FEC fundraising deadlines will be the last thing on their minds.

But the reality is, that we can’t afford to get distracted right now. We’re one of the top groups dedicated to bringing the voices of veterans and military family members to the national stage. We’re also near the top of the list of outside spenders when it comes to elections and on issue advocacy.

Unfortunately, nearly everyone else on that list are Republican special-interest groups, more interested in pushing their right-wing agenda than fighting for the rights and lives of Americans everywhere.

99% of what we can accomplish is powered by small-dollar donations, like $3 or $5 at a time — and we have critical work to do when it comes to supporting progressive veterans running for office and expanding our reach to key Senate races to help flip the majority in 2020.

If you could make a contribution of $3 or more before people log off for the long weekend, it would be tremendously helpful.

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Thank you for all you do to keep our movement strong,

— The team at VoteVets

Friends -

We’re writing to see if you’d consider signing the latest VoteVets petition: The House Armed Services Committee should investigate Donald Trump’s interference in the Eddie Gallagher case.

SIGN THE PETITION

Here’s the rundown of why we think it’s so important for our team to weigh in on this particular issue today:

• Donald Trump clearly intervened in the case of U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Edward "Eddie" Gallagher, who was facing punishment for posing for a photo with the body of a dead Islamic State fighter.
   
• Trump’s intervention in the case meant ensuing chaos at the highest levels of Pentagon leadership and there are allegations that Fox News personalities may have influenced Trump’s decision to act.
   
• We need the House to act to provide needed transparency and restore confidence in our military’s justice system by holding a hearing into this matter.

We’re 700,000 members strong and that’s why we have the power to speak up and demand better of our government and military justice process. But we need you to sign on today.

Read the full letter below and then sign your name today if you agree that the House Armed Services Committee should move immediately to hold hearings to investigate Donald Trump’s involvement with the Eddie Gallagher case.

SIGN THE PETITION

The Honorable Adam Smith
Chairman, House Armed Services Committee
2216 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Smith,

As the nation's largest progressive veterans and military families organization with more than 700,000 members nationwide, we are writing with great concern over the events surrounding the case of Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher. With President Trump's intervention and the ensuing chaos at the highest levels of Pentagon leadership, we believe the current situation warrants a House Armed Services Committee hearing to provide needed transparency and restore confidence in our military's justice system.

From September 2018 to July 2019, U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Edward "Eddie" Gallagher faced a court martial for a series of war crimes and related offenses. On July 2, 2019, Chief Gallagher was convicted of posing for a photo with the body of a dead Islamic State fighter. Facing a demotion and other Navy administrative procedures relevant to the SEAL community, Chief Gallagher mounted a lobbying campaign that resulted in President Trump's direct intervention in the military justice process -- sparking chaos at the military's senior ranks and the ouster of Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer.

As we have learned from media reports, Navy Secretary Spencer and SEAL Commander Rear Admiral Collin Green strongly resisted President Trump's actions as threatening to the military's justice system and contrary to good order and discipline. It is unclear what role Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has played in this controversy, and whether he overruled senior military leadership in siding with President Trump and excusing Gallagher's conduct. There are also allegations involving various Fox News personalities and their influence on the President in this and other military-related situations-- meaning that Fox News commentators are directly interfering with our national security and military readiness.

We believe the current situation demands a thorough inquiry into President Trump's interference in the Gallagher case and the related actions of senior civilian and military leadership involved. The House Armed Services Committee should move immediately to hold a hearing with relevant witnesses from the White House, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, and U.S. Special Operations community. The hearing should investigate the entire Gallagher matter, with particular focus on the following:

• The timing of President Trump's intervention in the Gallagher case, which military and civilian officials he contacted, and how they responded.
• The circumstances surrounding the departure of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer and conflicting accounts of the reason for his removal.
• Communication between Fox News employees and staff of the White House, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, and any other military entities.

By holding a hearing into this matter, the House Armed Services Committee can deliver accountability and begin restoring confidence in our military justice system, as well as uphold the order and discipline on which our military is built, and which Donald Trump has undermined.

Our service members and their families -- and all who have worn the uniform deliver accountability for the American people and begin to restore the confidence of our servicemembers and those watching worldwide.

We also must address why we are writing this letter to you, and cc’ing only the Majority Members of your committee, and Minority Members of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

In ordinary times, we would be writing your counterpart in the Senate, Chairman James Inhofe, as well as your committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Mac Thornberry, with full confidence that they would put party aside and do their due diligence to get to the bottom of this matter – as both Armed Services Committees have traditionally done.

However, it has become beyond apparent during the recent impeachment process that the Republican Majority in the Senate, and Republican Minority in the House, has become completely corrupted, abdicated its Constitutional role as a check on excesses of the Executive Branch, and has instead decided to act as the chief defender and deflector of all efforts to hold Donald Trump accountable.

From Senator Inhofe, who proudly cosponsored a resolution attacking House Democrats for investigating the Ukraine Bribery Affair, to Senator Marsha Blackburn, who disgustingly smeared Purple Heart recipient, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, on Twitter, the Senate Armed Services Committee Republican Majority simply cannot be trusted to put country or the military over Donald Trump.

Similarly, your Ranking Member has said Donald Trump shouldn’t be impeached for the Ukraine Bribery Affair because what Trump did is what he says and does all the time. The minority members of your committee, all the way down to Rep. Elise Stefanik, have decided that their role in Congress is to block investigations into the truth, and defend Trump from being exposed, at any cost.

Therefore, we can only turn to you, and the majority on the committee, to get to the bottom of this matter. We simply cannot trust that the Republican Minority in the House, or Majority in the Senate, will put the needs of the military above the protection of Donald Trump. It is therefore, sadly and unfortunately, a waste of our time to make an appeal to them to do their jobs.

Thank you for your attention, and we stand ready to help you with this matter.

Sincerely,

VoteVets.org

SIGN THE PETITION

Friends -

At midnight, we’re closing the books on an all-important fundraising deadline. We’re trailing a little behind where we’d hoped we’d be right now.

So, we’re just going to come right out and ask:

Can you make a contribution of $3 right now to help us meet our November goal before midnight? Every dollar we raise this month is going to go directly toward holding Donald Trump accountable, and every little bit helps.

CONTRIBUTE

Thanks to activists just like you, we’re able to run ads online and on television where other groups can’t, bringing the voices of veterans and their families — our voices — to the national stage.

Your support couldn’t come at a more critical time.

— The Team at VoteVets
 

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Friends -

We hope you had a meaningful holiday with your friends, families, and neighbors yesterday. We’re reaching out on Black Friday to let you know that for 24 hours we’re doing a one-day sale for our official VoteVets sticker.

Make a donation today of any amount and we’ll send you an official VoteVets sticker in the mail. Take advantage of this offer — it’s a one-day one donation = one sticker sale!

It’s not just about repping VoteVets and the grassroots advocacy work we do with the amazing team we have.

Every dollar we raise from our Black Friday sticker sale is going to go right back into the important work of electing folks like Mark Kelly, Amy McGrath, and other candidates up and down the ballot.

Additionally, your contribution today will go toward raising awareness and demanding action on issues that matter most to our community — widening our reach and influence as the largest organization representing progressive veterans and their families.

Don’t miss it! Get your sticker today!

— VoteVets.org

GET YOUR STICKER

Friends -

Donald Trump has once again crossed the line. Even before Navy Secretary Richard Spencer was ousted from his position, Donald Trump created chaos and disillusionment throughout the highest ranks of the Pentagon. Now, he’s sent a message that goes against everything we stand for: a complete and total disregard for the chain of command.

VoteVets is one of the top groups representing military families and veterans fighting every day to hold Donald Trump and his reckless administration to account. We’re fighting to flip the Senate and defend the House so that one day we may see true accountability against Donald Trump and his co-conspirators.

Will you make a contribution of $3 today to fuel the work we do on behalf of all veterans and their families? Every dollar we raise immediately strengthens the power of our movement.

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We don’t have to tell you that this is just the latest in a long string of instances of Donald Trump wantonly overreaching as president and meddling with military affairs.

Since he’s come into office he’s gone against Pentagon leaders in a slew of important matters like:

• Abandoning our allies, the Kurds;
• Banning transgender people from service in the military;
• And funding his wall by attempting to reallocate funding for military families.

Send a powerful message with a donation of $3 or more today: Enough is enough. As the largest organization fighting for the voices of veterans and their families, we will not stop fighting to hold Trump and his administration accountable.

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Trump’s actions have only underscored the fact that he himself is a national security threat.

And with members of the Senate like Thom Tillis, Martha McSally, Cory Gardner, Mitch McConnell, and others who are more interested in coddling Trump than holding him accountable, it’s up to us to demand and create the change we want to see.

We can only make progress if we band together toward a common cause. Defending the integrity of our military system and processes couldn’t be more important to our fight. That’s why we need to take action today.

Thanks for all you do,

VoteVets.org

Friends -

We wanted to say thank you. Time and again, your support leading up to our all-important monthly deadlines have ensured that we have the resources to continue our fight.

These coming weeks are especially critical. We’re closing out 2019 and looking ahead to a monumental year — and friends, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Take, for example, these few choice headlines from the news recently:

• House Democrats have passed nearly 400 bills. Trump and Republicans are ignoring them. - Vox.com, 11/29/19
• Trump’s Intervention in SEALs Case Tests Pentagon’s Tolerance. - New York Times, 11/30/19
• White House won’t take part in first House Judiciary impeachment hearing. - Politico, 12/01/19

And this is just a sample from the last few days.

We have a lot of work to do if we want to make the most of our unique position to hold Trump and his lackeys accountable. What’s more: if we work hard and meet our goals, there’s a chance we could rewrite future headlines for the better — and more.

Will you make a $3 contribution to help us end the year strong? In 2020, we’re looking to continue our calls for impeachment, help progressives up and down the ticket flip the Senate and hold the House, and make sure we get top national security threat Donald Trump out of office.

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Because of your generous support and activism, 2019 has been an incredible year for our team.

From running ads in tough states to flying banners across home states of four incumbent senators enabling Donald Trump, we’ve been able to have an outsize influence when most other organizations can’t — and that’s because of you.

We’re looking forward to a big December and a $3 donation would go a long way in helping us start off on the right foot. Thanks for contributing today.

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All our gratitude,

The VoteVets Team

Friends -

As you know, Gary Peters has been a true friend to veteran and military families throughout his career in the House and Senate.

Yesterday, we launched an ad to inform Michiganders about Sen. Peters’ strong record of fighting for Michigan and defending our American values. You can click here to watch the ad.

With our budget running low, we need your help to keep ads like this ad on the air. Will you rush a contribution of $3 right now so we can immediately divert a bigger budget to this TV buy?

CONTRIBUTE

Gary Peters has been hard at work fighting to fund veterans’ health care and ensuring survivors of the fallen receive full benefits.

He’s supported a repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

And he’s been one of the most effective voices in the fight to hold Donald Trump accountable.

We need to keep our ads up for as long as possible. Because we’re one of the top outside-spending groups in all of America, we have a special opportunity to make a difference in the lives of all Michiganders.

Chip in $3 today if you can to help us keep our latest ad about Gary Peters live in Michigan.

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Thanks for your help,

The Team at VoteVets

Friends — critical update on the impeachment front.

Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats just announced they are drafting articles of impeachment against Donald Trump.

But without control of the Senate, accountability for this administration will never come. We are one of the leading outside-spending groups able to take on Mitch McConnell and all of his vulnerable Senate seats.

Can you chip in a donation of $3 today so we can continue the important work of making sure Donald Trump is removed from the White House?

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Trump has embraced authoritarian rulers across the globe and turned American allies into enemies.

He offered financial support and allegedly threatened to withhold aid to foreign countries — all in an effort to get them to help him by spreading smears against his political opponent.

Not only that, but Trump has also undermined, sewed distrust and discord, and caused chaos at every level of our military — right up to Pentagon leaders themselves.

VoteVets is uniquely positioned in the pursuit of accountability for Donald Trump, and it’s only because of the strength of our team that we are able to bring this fight where other progressive organizations can’t — places where we’ll need House members to keep impeachment on the table or Senate members to seal the deal and remove Trump from office.

Stand with House Democrats in a sign of solidarity as they begin drafting articles of impeachment against Donald Trump with a contribution of $3 or more to help us take back the Senate:

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Thanks for always being someone we can count on.

—VoteVets.org

Friend — if we weren’t three years into this astonishingly corrupt administration, we would find this next sentence hard to believe:

President Donald Trump brought accused war criminals he pardoned to a closed-door fundraiser in Florida last night as his honorable guests. It’s just the latest in a slew of unacceptable behavior from our Commander in Chief that makes a mockery of our men and women serving our country.

We’re gearing up for a BIG 2020, where we will lead as one of the biggest outside spending groups in the fight to flip the Senate, keep the House, and kick Trump out of the White House so we can restore dignity and respect to our government.

But to do it, we’re going to need the resources to win.

That means funds to support veterans and Democrats like Amy McGrath, Mark Kelly, and many others. It means funds to run ads on TV and radio to help get out the vote in November. And to maximize the effect we can have during this critical election year, we’re going to need your help.

Please consider making a contribution of $3 today. Meeting our fundraising goal for December, and in turn 2019 as a whole, is a critical part of the plan to take back our country.

CONTRIBUTE

We hope every time you make a contribution to VoteVets, you feel pride and ownership in the work we do — as individuals, as an organization, and as a team.

We get our work done with supporters just like you chipping in $3, $5, or whatever they can every time we ask.

It’s the grassroots power of a movement by and for the people that allow us to be so effective, and it’s all because of your support.

Thanks for all you do. Keep fighting.

—The Team at VoteVets

Friend —

Yesterday will go down in history books. For only the fourth time ever, articles of impeachment have been introduced against a president. This is a solemn moment to be sure, but how we respond in the coming weeks and months will quite literally determine the arc of our history.

We are writing to ask that you chip in $3 today to support VoteVets, the work we do to hold Trump accountable, and the work we’re going to put in next year during this critical election. Will you?

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This is beyond politics, friend.

This is about something all of us understand all too well: a sense of duty.

It’s about Congress doing its job, considering all the facts, and removing a criminal from office if determined he’s unfit to lead our country.

It’s about showing everyone, abroad and here at home, that we are prepared and able to stand up to lawlessness and corruption — no matter who they are or what their title is — and fight back against any national security risks to America.

Thanks for joining in solidarity in this humbling and historic moment. We have a lot of work to do, and it’s only because of your support that we’ll be able to make such a significant impact on the future of our country.

— VoteVets.org

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Friend — good news out of Arizona: Mark Kelly is leading in his Senate race against Martha McSally by 3%!

Will you make a donation of $3 today? We’ll split our total fundraising amount from this email and send it immediately to Mark and his team in Arizona.

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Now that we’ve received this good news about Arizona’s critical Senate race, here’s what we can expect:

• Mitch McConnell and his dark-money network of special interests and Republican mega-donors are sure to rush untold amounts of funds to Mark’s Republican opponent, Martha McSally.

Which means...

• Attack ads spreading disinformation against Mark and what he stands for will flood the television and radio airwaves any day now.

We need to make sure Mark Kelly has the support he needs to flip this seat. Arizona is one of four key target states for Democrats to win and flip the Senate next year.

Split a contribution of $3 between VoteVets and Mark Kelly today to fuel the momentum that has him up in the polls >>

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Every day from now until next November is an opportunity to put in the work to win. Thanks for making today count.

— The team at VoteVets.org

Friend — we’re announcing an emergency End-of-Year fundraising blitz, and I thought it would be best to reach out to you first. In the next three days, we really need to step up and close the major gap in our fundraising for the year.

We’re looking for 15,000 donations to make that happen. Will you be one of them?

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If it seems like there’s a lot going on these days, that’s because there is.

From impeachment testimonies to closed-door hearings, from important pieces of public policy being debated and passed in Congress before this session is up to choosing who the presidential nominee for the Democrats is… the stakes are alarmingly high.

In 2018, we ran ads where most progressive organizations can’t. That means extra support for seats we need to flip the Senate, hold the House, and relieve Trump from his presidential duties.

The 2020 primary is officially right around the corner, and we’re going to be taking a closer look at exactly how VoteVets can get involved in strategic ways to maximize our impact across the country.

But to do that, we need the resources to win. So, what do you say — can you help us out by kicking off our 72-hour goal of 15,000 donations?

CONTRIBUTE

Winning in 2020 starts today,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman
VoteVets

Friend —  in just a few hours, we’re closing the books on our last mid-month deadline of 2019.

A few days ago, we reached out and told you that to catch up to our End-of-Year goal we needed 15,000 donations.

Since then, over 9,500 members of our incredible team have stepped up, donating anything they can from $1 to $3. Thank you for being one of them. Every donation counts and we’re so grateful to know we can depend on each other when we need to.

Will you rush a donation of $3 before midnight tonight? We are SO close to getting back on track for the rest of 2019 and heading into next year in a stronger position than ever.

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It’s possible we meet our goal in the next few hours. If we do, we’ll be in great shape and could even surpass the weekly goals we have set for the rest of the year.

This is it. Thanks for everything.

VoteVets.org

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Friend — yesterday, Jon laid out the stakes for our 72-hour fundraising push to catch up on our End-of-Year goal. Here’s the update:

So far it’s going alright, but if everyone who opened this email made a contribution of $3, we would blow our goal of 15,000 donations out of the water. Your help could really push us over the top.

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We’re so incredibly proud of the outsized impact we’re able to have on so many critical issues, campaigns, and races up and down the ballot. And with a big election year ahead of us, the real work is just beginning.

But if we don’t catch up we’re in danger of having to make cuts to the programs we’re running in important battleground states. States like Kentucky, Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina… just to name a few.

These programs are working but take plenty of resources to keep up and running. Help us close the gap today by making a contribution of $3 or more.

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Thanks, team. Knowing we can count on you when it matters most really makes the difference.

— VoteVets.org

Friend — you might have missed this, but it’s just too important.

Last night, while the House of Representatives was voting to impeach Donald Trump, he was busy at a campaign rally making jokes about the late World War II Veteran Rep. John Dingell -- mocking his widow and insinuating he is in Hell.

You read that right. It's sickening. It's despicable. And if there's one thing I know for sure it's that we will never allow Donald Trump to attack members of the military unanswered. We need to send a message and we need to send it now before the news cycle moves on.

Please sign our official condemnation of Trump's remarks and in honor of Rep. Dingell's life and service to our country.

ADD MY NAME

The late Rep. John Dingell once said, "We've had presidents of almost every stripe, but this one will be remembered as the smallest and most vile."

Now, as President Trump has attacked Rep. Dingell, it's clear that he truly is the smallest and most vile president in history.

Add your name to stand with Rep. Debbie Dingell, the late Rep. John Dingell, and the whole Dingell family in the face of Trump's un-American, unconscionable attacks against one of our own.

ADD MY NAME

With gratitude,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman
VoteVets

Friend — keeping this short and to the point because we know you’re busy with the holidays.

Unfortunately, our fundraising numbers have seen a big dip in the last few days. We were expecting that, but it looks like now we’re going to be trending behind for our End-of-Year goal of 15,000 individual donations.

We thought we’d be around 90% to goal by this point, but we’re actually closer to 72% as of right now. The good news is that there’s plenty of time to close that gap. Will you chip in $3 or any amount you can today to help us get back on track?

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We are heading into one of the most critical election years to date. Our team is uniquely positioned to make a massive impact in 2020 across the country with our endorsed candidates and by sending financial support to states that could be the difference between taking back the Senate or keeping it in Republican control.

We’ve already put your donations to work in places like Michigan and North Carolina, where we need to win and where Republicans have already swooped in to drop millions for their candidates.

And next year we’re looking to endorse even more candidates, offer even more financial support to tip the scales in critical races, and fight harder than ever to send Trump and his lackeys packing.

Republicans are working with a seemingly endless financial pipeline that will move millions into battleground states to keep their candidates in power. But we’re working with something better and more invaluable: you.

Please consider chipping in $3 towards our 2019 End-of-Year goal of 15,000 individual donations.

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Everyone — from Republicans in Kentucky, Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to Mitch McConnell himself — will be keeping an eye on our fundraising numbers that go public at the beginning of next year.

That’s why it’s so important we hit this goal before 2019 is over.

Many thanks for all you do.

—VoteVets.org

Friend — big news on the Senate front today. Look at this headline:

"Senate Overview: The Majority is in Play" - Cook Political Report, 12/20/19

Democrats need to flip four GOP-held seats to regain control of the Senate. It’s a high bar but there’s good news: VoteVets has endorsed four candidates running for Senate in Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Texas.

That means if we rally behind our candidates, it’s possible we have the power to flip the Senate. Will you chip in $3 today to support our work so we can continue to fight for candidates in these four flippable races?

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That’s not all. Democrats have already outspent Republicans in Kentucky and Arizona. As one of the biggest outside spending groups in the progressive space, our team played a huge role in these critical states. But we have a lot more to do.

Texas and North Carolina are slated to be two of the most expensive races in the country this cycle. With candidates in both races that have a real shot at winning, we need your help. Chip in $3 or more to make an immediate difference in these critical (and winnable!) races today. >>

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All of this is great news, friend. But it means that we have to work harder and set the bar higher than ever before if we want to greet victory in November 2020. Thanks for all you do today to fight for a stronger tomorrow.

— The Team at VoteVets.org