-by Matt Rogers
2021 candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates
The raging dumpster fire that is the GOP rages on. The national embarrassment that is Virginia Senator Amanda Chase continues on. You know… gun-toting, conspiracy theory curious Amanda Chase? The latest AP article reads, Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase sues over being censured. "A firebrand conservative Virginia state senator seeking the Republican nomination for governor," reported the Associated Press, "filed a federal lawsuit Monday that seeks to undo her legislative colleagues’ recent decision to censure her for an alleged 'pattern of unacceptable conduct.' In a bipartisan vote last week, the Virginia Senate approved a measure rebuking Sen. Amanda Chase over a series of incendiary incidents during her tenure, including remarks in which she seemed to voice support for those who participated in storming the U.S. Capitol last month. The decision to pass the censure resolution followed a long debate that featured scathing criticisms of Chase from both Democrats and Republicans." Having worked first-hand with Amanda Chase in my day-job in the Virginia Senate, I’m not at all shocked by her latest behavior.
This is an elected official who has abused the privileges of office to get shuttled by Capitol Police to dinners and pow-wows not even a mile away from the Capitol building! This is an elected official who made herself a spectacle by being brazen enough to carry her firearm with her to committee meetings and even onto the Senate Floor. This is an elected official who-- now that she is running for Governor-- has found it politically expedient to promote former President (soon to be indicted) Trump’s big lie that the election was stolen.
She took part in the pep rally prior to the terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol and called them "patriots." After that, she engaged in even more ridiculous lying that the media ‘hyped up’ the brazen terrorist attack. As a result, she was made aware that her colleagues in the Senate of Virginia would be censuring her. She took that opportunity to turn to social media to attack her Republican colleagues, to announce that she would wear the censure as "a badge of honor," and to threaten her colleagues that she would do exactly what she has now done: sue them. (It’s almost like that’s why you do more than censure someone like this!)
I know a lot of people like to convince themselves that people like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Amanda Chase are 'embarrassing' the Republican Party. The unfortunate truth is that these individuals are the Republican Party. It’s embarrassing for Republicans; it’s clarifying for the rest of us. Fox News, Breitbart and talk radio have created Dr. Frankenstein’s monster-- which has finally reared its head at Dr. Frankenstein and threatens his ability to win statewide elections in this generation. The Republican Party is now plainly the dumpster fire we’ve known it was all along.
That’s why we’re not resting on our laurels. That’s why we’re challenging our own Party to put our best candidates forward with Democratic primaries in 13 out of 55 Democratically represented districts-- so far. That’s why we’re challenging all 45 incumbent House Republicans, including Republican Del. Dave LaRock-- who also engaged in this nonsense at the Capitol while representing a district in Northern Virginia. He’s now got to deal with Paul Siker, his Democratic opponent.
I’m involved in an effort to make sure that all 45 incumbent GOP-held seats have Democratic challengers. Thus far, I’ve been part of getting at least half of the candidates on the ballot. Of the 45 House Republican seats in total, there are 6 that are eminently flippable, especially given the higher turnout that is associated with statewide offices being on the ballot during a gubernatorial year. Of those, I have been even more involved and we are closing in on all six having strong challengers. The "we" I've repeatedly referred to is a group called 90 For 90-- which was created to honor and continue the historic political work of the first Black delegate elected since Civil War Reconstruction, Dr. Fergie Reid, Sr. and that continues to be led by him.
If you’ve never heard of Dr. Reid, go ahead and use the Google. His biographical information should be required reading for anyone studying Virginia political history. He’s so legendary that he mentored Virginia’s first black governor, Doug Wilder, and the first black congressman since Reconstruction, Rep. Bobby Scott.
I understand that my ability to speak my mind openly and to run for office as a black man is riding on paved road smoothed by people like Dr. Reid. I’m working to open doors for the next generation without a single dollar in corporate donations. That’s why I need you to drop by and chip in $5.00 or $500.00 if you can because I’m not just working to get myself elected in the House of Delegates’ 47th District in Arlington, VA-- where we only elect Democrats and where Democrats haven’t had a choice since 2009. I’m working to push my region to have a historic voter registration total (100,000) while we work to recruit candidates from Northern Virginia to the Eastern Shore to Southwest Virginia. It sounds absurd, but Virginia has no contribution limits – which makes it all the more important for small dollar donors to stand with candidates who are fighting for working people.
Thank you to Howie Klein-- who helps not only myself, but Democrats across the country. His efforts in trying to push the Democratic Party to the left are more than necessary. I’m glad to be one of those Democrats he believes is doing that. Hit the link if you can and share.