State Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield
With the support of Republicans and Democrats, the Virginia State Senate on Wednesday censured Sen. Amanda Chase, R- Chesterfield County, for “failure to uphold her oath of office, misuse of office and conduct unbecoming of a senator” based on a laundry list of controversies extending over the past two years.
In a 24-9 vote, with six Republicans abstaining, Chase became the first state senator to be censured in Virginia since 1986, when Norfolk Democratic Sen. Peter Balabas was sanctioned for not disclosing a conflict of interest.
The vote also placed Chase last in seniority, a move that is even more rare than censure, although it is unlikely to have much of a material effect on the senator, who has been stripped of all committee assignments over the past two years since leaving the Senate Republican Caucus.
