RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Senate Democrats have moved towards a potential censure of state Sen. Amanda Chase, claiming in a resolution Wednesday that she instigated “insurrection against the United States.”
Last week, the caucus asserted that the Republican gubernatorial contender helped empower “a failed coup d’état” at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and called on her to resign from office.
Getting two-thirds of the chamber to vote and expel Chase is unlikely so Democrats have opted for a formal statement of disapproval with the censure, which only needs a majority of senators to approve.
The resolution cites Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which states that no person will, “hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath . . . as a member of any State legislature . . . to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
“I just, I think it’s completely ridiculous. I think it’s political because I’m running for governor. Let’s make no mistake about that,” Chase said in an interview. “Let’s not forget the big elephant in the room here is that I’m running for governor and I’m the frontrunner in this race for governor and they see that and they’re going to use every opportunity they can to try to silence me at and you know that will not work.”
Chase said she went to the nation’s capital on Jan. 6 to hear President Donald Trump’s speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally, contending that like her, most left after the president spoke to the crowd. She added that she didn’t hear anything in Trump’s remarks that made her think he incited rioters to storm the Capitol.
The bill was introduced by Sen. John Bell (D-Loudoun) and co-sponsored by Sens. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax), Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), George L. Barker (D-Fairfax) and Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax). It was referred to the Privileges and Elections committee and is awaiting a hearing.
“After what happened last week in Washington, DC, I knew something had to be done. We, not only as the Democratic Caucus but as the Senate as a whole, need to tell Sen. Chase that her actions are not only unbecoming of an elected official, but are dangerous and seditious,” Sen. Bell said in a statement. “I hope my colleagues in the Senate have the courage to do what is right and will join me in supporting her censure when the time comes.”
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