On Thursday the Chesterfield County Republican Committee released the following statement concerning State Senator Amanda Chase:
The Chesterfield County Republican Committee consists of hard working, committed members who understand the value and importance of a united ticket. You live, work, volunteer and donate towards the cause. You understand the importance and value of the nomination process and believe that disregard for the rules, dissension, and public attacks on Republican team members is harmful to the ticket and all Republicans.
Despite recent false and sensationalized headlines in the Richmond Times Dispatch, and elsewhere, indicating that Senator Chase was “kicked out” of the Republican Party, she did in fact trigger her own resignation by violating the State Party Plan.
Therefore, the Executive Committee sees fit to release a timeline of events illustrating how we attempted, privately, to handle the situation. During the month of September, Senator Chase deliberately took numerous public actions in contravention of Party rules, resulting in her automatic resignation from the CCRC.
Contrary to published reports, Senator Chase is wholly responsible for her actions which led to her leaving the Republican Party, despite our numerous attempts to avoid her resignation. It remains our hope that Senator Chase will disavow her support of the independent candidate and begin working alongside our Republican candidates for victory this fall.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Saturday, September 7, 2019
-Senator Chase hosts an “Open House” at her Headquarters (“HQ”) with the independent candidate for Sheriff, Rahn Kersey, in attendance.
-Photos with Kersey, wearing his campaign “Kersey for Sheriff” polo shirt and Senator Chase, posed in front of the American flag inside of her HQ, are posted to his Facebook page. (Senator Chase allowed her image to be used by a candidate opposing the Republican candidate for Sheriff.)
Monday, September 9, 2019
-Multiple Republican Party leaders contact Senator Chase regarding the picture posted on Facebook.
-Senator Chase contacts the Chesterfield County Republican Committee (CCRC) Chair, Tara Carroll, via text message. Senator Chase reiterates the independent candidate for Sheriff’s biography and at the same time requests a sit-down with the Chesterfield County Republican candidate for Sheriff. Tara Carroll requests time to reflect on the situation and states that she doesn’t want the situation to escalate.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
-Senator Chase introduces the independent candidate for Sheriff to her constituents on her Facebook page and identifies him as “… a conservative Christian, running for Chesterfield Sheriff …” accompanied by a video.
-The video shows the independent candidate for Sheriff, wearing his “Kersey for Sheriff” campaign polo shirt in front of Senator Chase’s campaign HQ, with Senator Chase’s sign featured in the background. In the video Kersey states, “I’m running for Sheriff of Chesterfield County. I’m a strong, conservative Republican. …Don’t forget us on the ballot…” (Video still available to view on Facebook.)
-Complaints increase from CCRC members regarding Senator Chase’s “back-end” endorsement of the independent candidate for Sheriff.
-Senator Chase contacts members of the CCRC to “plead her case,” frequently calling the independent candidate for Sheriff a “Republican.”
-Multiple Republican Party leaders contact Senator Chase over the new post and her escalation of a problematic situation. Senator Chase refuses to remove or hide the post and accompanying video promoting the opponent to the Republican nominee for Sheriff. Leaders advocate to the CCRC Chair, Tara Carroll, for an official, private communication from the CCRC Executive Committee (Exec Comm), calling on her to take the post down and disavow her endorsement of the independent candidate for Sheriff.
-Mike Thomas, Parliamentarian, Chesterfield County Republican Committee, Chairman, 11th Senate Legislative District Committee, notifies Senator Chase via telephone call that posting the video likely crosses the line and could trigger her automatic resignation from the CCRC, unless removed.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
-Senator Chase boosts the Facebook video to a paid ad. “Sponsored & Paid For by Amanda Chase.” Because of this, the video became an in-kind contribution to an opponent to the Republican nominee for Sheriff, in violation of the State Party Plan.
-Senator Chase is seen introducing the independent candidate for Sheriff to voters at the Unity Park 9/11 event.
-Chesterfield County Republican Committee members, and other supporters, begin demanding their campaign contributions back as a result of her paid support of the independent candidate for Sheriff. Senator Chase campaign signs are being removed by voters. Republicans outside of Chesterfield note Senator Chase’s violation of the State Party Plan on social media.
-CCRC Exec Comm holds an Emergency Meeting to address the State Party Plan violation. It is unanimously agreed to address the independent candidate for Sheriff, Rahn Kersey, so that Republican voters would not be confused into thinking he is the Republican nominee. Senator Chase is purposefully not named in the Cease & Desist letter, press release or statement to Chesterfield County Republican Committee members. A positive campaign promoting the Republican nominee for Sheriff is identified as an additional step to cure the situation.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
-The CCRC Exec Comm submits the Cease & Desist letter to the independent candidate for Sheriff.
-The CCRC Exec Comm submits a press release regarding the Cease & Desist letter.
-The CCRC Exec Comm shares these documents with Committee members through email and on Facebook.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
-Senator Chase promotes the independent candidate for Sheriff in the September 18th edition of the Chesterfield Observer stating, “He’s a Christian conservative and a Tea Party Republican. He’s more of a Republican than Karl Leonard…”
-CCRC Exec Comm member(s) receive texts and phone calls from CCRC members regarding Senator Chase’s endorsement of the independent candidate for Sheriff.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
-CCRC Exec Comm agrees to submit a letter outlining violations of the State Party Plan to Senator Chase on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
-Senator Chase and the independent candidate for Sheriff continue to publicly campaign together.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
-Senator Chase makes posts on Facebook attacking the Republican nominee for Sheriff. One of which falsely accused him of supporting sanctuary cities.
-CCRC members post their disapproval of her attacks on the Republican candidate for Sheriff, on social media.
-CCRC Exec Comm agrees that it is necessary to hasten the delivery of a private violations notification letter to Friday, September 27, 2019.
Friday, September 27, 2019
-An article appears in the RTD re: Senator Chase falsely accusing the Chesterfield Sheriff of supporting sanctuary cities.
-A private, written notification from the CCRC Exec Comm detailing Senator Chase’s violations of the State Party Plan and outlining a remedy to prevent automatic resignation from the Republican Party is sent to Senator Chase and two members of her team, Philip Search and Chris Farmer.
Saturday, September 28, 2019-Sunday, September 29, 2019
-Senator Chase accompanies independent candidate Rahn Kersey at ChesterFest where they hand out water bottles to and greet voters at the CCRC booth.
-An article entitled “For Senator Chase, conflicts of her own making come in key election year appears in the RTD.
-CCRC members comment on Senator Chase’s false post about sanctuary cities and her attack on the Republican nominee for Sheriff, asking her to remove it.
-Senator Chase comments under her own post, “All I see commenting here are members of the Sheriff’s office or the Chesterfield GOP. Just an observation. I represent the people.”
Monday, September 30, 2019
-An article is published in The Washington Post titled, “With Trump-style bravado, suburban state senator alienates her own party”
-Senator Chase posts video on Facebook saying both “Vote the Republican ticket” and continuing her false sanctuary cities narrative.
– Senator Chase responds to the CCRC Exec Comm indicating that she will not remove the video and photos, nor would she disavow her support of the independent candidate for Sheriff.
-Left with no option, the CCRC Exec Comm fulfills its responsibilities under the State Party Plan and acknowledges Senator Chase’s resignation from the Committee. CCRC members were notified with private communications.
-The CCRC Exec Comm continues to respect the private nature of the disciplinary action required by the Party Plan and neither shares any documents with the media nor invites them to the CCRC regular meeting. No comment is given by the CCRC Chair, Tara Carroll, to any press agent.
Republican Party of Virginia Party Plan
ARTICLE VII Official Committees – General
SECTION C. Removal
…. A member of an Official Committee is held to a higher standard of support for nominees of the Republican Party than an individual who merely participates in a mass meeting, party canvass, convention or primary. Therefore, a member of an Official Committee is deemed to have resigned his Committee position if he (a) makes a reportable contribution to and/or (b) knowingly allows his name to be publicly used by and/or (c) makes a written or other public statement supporting the election of a candidate in opposition to a Republican nominee in a Virginia General or Special Election, and/or (d) becomes a member or an officer of or makes a reportable contribution to any other political party. A majority of the elected officers of an official committee are charged with recognizing when this provision is in effect. For members of multiple official committees, such recognition by a given official committee applies to all subordinate official committees. Such member may be reinstated by a majority vote of the other members of the Committee. For the purposes of this section, “allows” shall mean that a member has either (i) affirmatively given permission for his name to be publicly used, or (ii) refused to publicly disavow the use of his name upon receiving notification by an official committee chairman that it is being used.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
-Senator Chase posts on Facebook that she will be voting for the independent candidate for Sheriff.
-Senator Chase broadcasts on The John Fredericks Show that she is voting for the independent candidate for Sheriff.