Today, The Richmond Times Dispatch released a story highlighting the mistreatment and misuse of police officers by my current state Senator Amanda Chase. In case you missed it, here are some highlights below:
“State Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, used the Capitol Police for transportation so frequently during this year’s General Assembly session that its chief asked the House and Senate clerks to remind lawmakers about accepted procedures.”
“In the second half of last year, Chase’s office called Capitol Police to have them transport her several times to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center so she could visit an aide who was in the hospital, to the Cary Street business district, and for trips that were a brief walk from Capitol Square, according to records the Richmond Times-Dispatch obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request.”
”According to police records, Chase or her aides received more than 20 police transports during the General Assembly session – all of them outside the established protocol outlined in a Jan. 24 email from Senate Clerk Susan Clarke Schaar to senators that “the Capitol Police staff are not to be used by members or staff for personal transport."
”Chase, still dealing with fallout from what a police report described as her becoming irate at a Capitol police officer on March 22, said no one had explained any rules about calling the police for transportation. She said her understanding was that it was acceptable to call for rides for legislative functions downtown near Capitol Square. She said she had no reason to think she was doing anything wrong.“I don’t know who told me that or if that was my understanding. And I was never told differently by any member of the Capitol Police, ever," she said. "How am I supposed to know if nobody tells me?"
“As previously reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, according to a police report, Chase berated a Capitol Police officer, using obscenities, on March 22 when the officer would not allow Chase to park in a secure area outside the Capitol. According to the report, Chase made disparaging comments about Schaar, told the officer “Do you know who I am?” and refused to move her car, blocking buses that needed to get into the area.”
Senator Chase continues to spiral, according to Patrick Wilson at the Richmond Times Dispatch. Senator Chase threatened to end the chances of re-election of local sheriff Karl Leonard after he held her accountable for mistreating police officers.
“After she recently posted a photo of herself at an event with Chesterfield sheriff's deputies, Sheriff Karl Leonard posted on Facebook to make clear that he wasn't endorsing Chase and stood by law enforcement. Leonard said Chase then sent him a text message implying she could hinder his re-election bid this year. Chase's March 22 incident "could have been easily resolved with a quick admission and apology, and unfortunately that didn't happen," Leonard said. "I had to make clear that I do not support her actions in the way that whole incident happened with the Capitol police officer."
My name is Amanda Pohl and I have spent my entire career advocating for others in my community. It saddens me to see the profound disrespect for people that has been shown recently by Sen. Amanda Chase. I am working hard to build a strong campaign to defeat Chase in November and would appreciate any support you can offer to help us get there.
In spite of her horrendous behavior, Chase will still have support of big industry lobbyists, for whom she regularly does favors. I am not taking corporate money and I believe in the power of grassroots fundraising to move this campaign forward. We have big goals to meet by the end of May (a reporting deadline) and the more that donors in Virginia see us raise now, the more likely they will be to help us in the future. We have the infrastructure and the energy to beat Chase in November. Will you help us raise the funds we need to do it?
Twitter: @Pohlforvirginia — Facebook — Volunteer