Virginia state Sen. Amanda Chase (R) was censured by the state senate on Wednesday following incendiary actions that included praising the mob in the deadly insurrection of the Capitol earlier this month that left five dead as “patriots.”
Following lengthy debate, the rare censure resolution passed 24-9. Although the resolution to censure Chase — who also made derogatory remarks toward the Virginia Capitol Police and the clerk of the Senate — was entered by a Democratic state senator, it was backed by Republicans as well.
Chase, who has launched a bid for Virginia governor, claimed that fellow senators are trying to humiliate her and suggested that if the censure passes, she is willing to dispute it in court, according to the Washington Post.
State Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment (R), who is among the three Republicans who voted in favor of censure, torched Chase for “hypocrisy” and a lack of integrity on Wednesday.
Much like former President Trump, Chase spouted falsehoods that rioters behind the deadly insurrection at the Capitol earlier this month were part of “antifa or BLM agents of destruction.” Days after the Capitol riots, FBI Assistant Director Steven D’Antuono told reporters on a call that there was “no indication” that antifa was responsible for the insurrection that Trump incited.
Although Chase spoke to a crowd of Trump supporters in D.C. hours before the insurrection at the Capitol, she left before the pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol.
The vote to censure Chase comes a week after the full state senate voted to remove her from her lone committee assignment.
In a state senate floor speech on Wednesday night, Chase issued a fiery rebuke in response to the censure resolution in an extended rant arguing hypocrisy over the measure.
“As I look around the room and see the number of people that were actually arrested and charged with crimes this year — and you have the audacity to stand on the floor of this senate and condemn me — how dare you?” Chase said.
