AMANDA CHASE: UNMASKED, UNFILTERED, & UNAPOLOGETIC

00:00 - 05:15

***THIS IS A COMPUTER-GENERATED TRANSCRIPT***

POPE: Welcome to Transition Virginia podcast that examines the transition of power from Republican to Democrat. I'm Michael Pope...

BOWMAN: And I'm Thomas Bowman. Today on the podcast. We are going to jump headlong into the politics of 2021 and talk to the first candidate to officially announce for governor. Republican Senator Amanda Chase of Chesterfield. Senator Chase, thank you for joining us. How are you doing?

CHASE: I'm doing well, thanks for having me on.

POPE: Appreciate it, senator. As Thomas just said, you were the first candidate to announce for Governor. I want to ask you a question I am going to steal from the publisher of connection newspapers, who likes to ask candidates this question, Senator Chase why are you doing this to yourself?

CHASE: Honestly because like many other Virginia and I can't take it anymore. The leadership in Virginia has taken off the cliff to socialism and I can't take it anymore. I can't, as a mom of four kids, who I want to have a bright future. I cannot allow this to happen. You know a mom, which I am... Moms want the best for their kids and I know fathers do as well but I'm talking from a point of view being a mom. Is I sit on my on the front row of the Senate where I'm right there in front of the press I'm watching each bill that gets passed our liberties being chipped away one at a time and it's maddening. It's frightening. It's frustrating it makes me angry and naturally as a mom, I wanna to do something about it. I mean that's an us that maternal instinct that you want to protect, nurture and take care off and You know that's you know. The Momma Bear, if you will just you know is in me There's righteous indignation that I cannot believe that our state is being subjected to tyrannical overreach and 2020, and you know for the first time and over twenty-seven years, the GOP has had absolutely no control in the house, the Senate or the governor's office. There's no checks and balances in office, and so for the first time, in Virginia's history in every twenty-seven years or seeing what? The really the agenda of the liberal majority has been they're they're able to get whatever they want. And it is maddening. It's frustrating You know I'm talking to my constituents all over. The eleventh district but also now the state of Virginia and the sentiment is clear: I can't find a single Republican, independent or Democrat, even, who is supporting governor Northam. They see him as a dictator they see him as a tyrant. You know if I were the governor of Virginia I would educate people, but I would not mandate. It would not be illegal to earn a living in Virginia. It's now in many cases than has been in the past a class one misdemeanor. To. To make a living in Virginia and I would argue that every business Virginia is essential because to someone that's their trade that's how they make a living and It's tragic. What's happened? You know the the solution has been more detrimental than the original coronavirus that we were initially dealing with. It's affected us not only. It's defected our families pocketbooks but it's also affected our mental health. A lot of. folks have committed suicide like we had in Richmond with the a long-standing French bakery here in Carytown. You know it's...It's just really sad whenever you see business owners committing suicide because they feel like there's no hope. And I'm I'm very concerned about the shootings and killings the desperateness and the mental hopelessness that many Virginians feel right now because they feel like there is no end to it, one, and second of all, that it's just heavy-handed and overreaching and we're a free people. Or Americans or Virginians were used to doing whatever we want to do with no limitations, and now we're being told that out of fear. that. We have to wear masks, we have to limit our constitutional individual rights and liberties and It's causing a lot of heartburn would be a software for what I'm seeing a lot of desperation Virginians wanting this to end now.

05:17 - 10:05

BOWMAN: So, senator I know we all really want this to end. Now my question is, how long do you think people are prepared to hold on with the coronavirus as virulent as it has been and it's just been persistent? Hasn't it?

CHASE: Well I think we have to compare the model I think initially, they were going by the models but now we have actual data. And I like to focus on the number of deaths and even then that number is questionable. Unfortunately now a days with the testing were not comparing apples to apples because they've changed the way the testing is done and one person can have multiple tests I believe you know as I'm trampling across Virginia and I'm going full speed ahead by the way I have events every weekend night Friday Saturday Sunday, nonstop events with over a hundred people, and they're not wearing masks they're not observing social distancing I mean, I'm not I'm not worried about that.

POPE: Yes. So like the talk about that. So you're out on the campaign trail you're talking to peopl...You're having interactions with them, and you're not wearing a mask, the people you're talking to or not wearing masks and you're not social distancing. Isn't that dangerous?

CHASE: Well. I think it's dangerous not. you know listen I'm I'm a person with real emotions just like all these other people are in I respect people who choose to wear a mask. But I, think there's a sense of a lot of people saying that the dangers of the coronavirus are very much. In line with what we see of a regular flu or cold If. You look at the actual data and the numbers from the Virginia Department of Health I think the outcome--I mean I look at the Hampton roads area--well, that's right where they had the protests and everything I think. You. Know I've been in South West Virginia for instance this past weekend and people it's a choice. Okay. People have a choice to make it is their constitutional right in their liberty to make their choice we educate ourselves as to the dangers apparent of ours and it changes daily As to what their concerns are. You know we you know I don't wear masks than you do wear a mask and I think people are just tired of the backend for. One you know there's no real agreement on the experts with. All saying different things and I think there's a level of frustration with. you know we can even guarantee one hundred percent that these masks work much less. Their effectiveness have friends. Who have done the mask and still got covert I have friends who have gotten the coronavirus of one that has it now, actually two that have it now, and they're like it's like a cold like one of them's still riding his motorcycle around kind of deserted spaces they were like he's supposed to stay at home, but he's not he's he's going camping and he's getting air therapy people recovering very quickly from this. It is not what we're seeing on the media. Like I said, I've had numerous friends that have had coronavirus at this point and I would rather live free. It is claustrophobic to wear the mask. Some of us have medical issues where we cannot wear a mask and shouldn't. and. So we need to stop judging people whether they wear masks are not a chosen not to. It's my right and I accept full responsibility if I get sick. But I choose not to live in fear and that's my choice. It's a choice of all the folks that are at the events that we attend and we go to it's they're right their choice as well, and it is not the role of government to put heavy mandates on the people of Virginia and I just feel like. It's overreach. What they're doing is just a step way too far.

BOWMAN: I think Michael wants to get back to the race for governor. I know that's was what we're so excited about to talk to you. So what else does governor Amanda Chase and her administration look like after 2021?

CHASE: So let's talk about the governor's race. Why is it people should choose me over some other candidate will number one I'm allowed now conservative okay. Just be honest people have said. You just tell me what other people have said. They said I mean you've been with us from the beginning. We don't know where the other Republicans are but all we hear is crickets onto that I made a joke that we should change the party mascot from an elephant to cricket on.

10:05 - 15:00

CHASE: There is a clear lack of leadership. In the Republican Party, they are deathly silence and people are very frustrated because they don't feel like anyone else is speaking of the people of Virginia other than me. I've exposed pay to play I've exposed to the Transparency Caucus. I brought light into the Virginia General Assembly. I have exposed what's going on with the Democrats are passed but I've also held accountable Republicans who many times will vote like Democrats. Voting against the Second Amendment, I posted them their their vote along with your contact information in their picture. Right on my Facebook page, people trust me. People trust me because I'm not politically correct they trust me because I have a five-year voting record. I have the highest score in the Virginia Senate two thousand and nineteen received an award the conservative Union. For having the highest score and, you know one hundred percent rating with VCDL, NRA... I have an a 100% rating with NFIB. So people trust me I have a proven record and the General Assembly they know are I stand and I'm able to articulate our message.

POPE: Senator, I'm interested in getting a sense of what a Governor Chase administration would look like what would be the priorities of governor chase what kinds of things would she try to work for? Give us a window into what that would look like and what kind of policy proposals you would try to advance as governor?

CHASE: So top three issues as governor number one, restoring Virginia to its constitutional plumb line; restoring the second amendment. Especially, bring us back to the constitutional plumb line and I've said I will probably have the world's record on the number of executive orders by any governor in Virginia because I believe we have overstepped the constitution by and bounds give me some examples of what kind of existing gun laws and gun regulations that you would like to undo. Any. Relation. That attacks the constitutional rights. For instance one gun I would restore us back to you could buy as many guns as you want. Secondly, reverse universal background checks, red flag laws that deny a person of due process. The localities now have the ability to create gun-free zones. You know they're doing everything they can to hurt law-abiding citizens, but we need to be going after the criminals maybe reimplement project exile so that if you're a felon, you're caught with a gun, you know you're going to get an automatic five years back in jail. Senator in terms of being elected governor. Are you concerned that this list that you were just talking about the one gun, a month restriction universal background checks, red flag laws that voters just elected Democrats to do all that are you concerned that voters were looking at that list might say they're not with you there with the Democrats on these issues strongly disagree ninety, six percent of the localities in Virginia voted to implement a second amendment sanctuary city. We're talking about in places like Charles City county or you have Senator McClellan and Delegate Dolores McQuinn as their representatives, they have overstepped their bounds they were. There are folks who are strong second. amendment supporters that were also Democrats who are highly offended by this attack on the second amendment.

POPE: So guns, of course would be one issue that from your perspective restoring Second Amendment Rights would be at the top of the agenda. What else would governor chase the interested in doing is sort of policy agenda that you would try to pursue as governor?

CHASE: Well. In addition to reversing the all-out attack on our Second Amendment, I'm going to look at bills that were passed the session that were an attack on our First Amendment rights as well. I find it very interesting that Delegate Bourne's bill is designed to prevent elected officials in both the General Assembly, but also the governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, and judges--it's it's saying that if if they are harassed than they end up with a class one misdemeanor, we can press charges. I have a Facebook page and we allow people to have open dialogue and discussions on my Senator Chase Facebook page. When people are and people say all kinds of things on there and and I support the First Amendment and people's ability to do that.

15:01 - 20:01

CHASE: But with a liberal new majority, they are clear attacks on our First Amendment that needs to be reversed, as well as our religious liberties. I would also say I will implement policies. That promotes business, and we...

POPE: Wait, before we move on I want to make sure I understand that. So the second amendment stuff is pretty straightforward. I understand your what you WANNA. Do there I'm not exactly sure that I understand the attack on the first amendment what kind of policy changes do you wanna see to the first amendment?

CHASE: So everything from our colleges on our universities I would argue that there's not three speech on our campuses. Conservative viewpoint are constantly being attacked. In our colleges and universities are kids are only being indoctrinated with with liberal policies. The conservative side is never presented.

POPE: So what kind of policy change would you like to see happen on college campuses in Virginia?

CHASE: So like Delegate Landes's bill on free speech which helped to co-patron we need to do more and effort on our college campuses, and I would also argue and our public schools to ensure that students are getting a well-rounded education as opposed to what I consider indoctrination.

POPE: Can you be specific? I just want to make sure I understand the policy proposal here. So what specific changes would happen in public schools and at the university level?

CHASE: So specific changes would be this in our public schools we need to return to reading, writing, and arithmetic. I have been sitting on the Senate Health Education Committee. We have had numerous unfunded mandates to our localities asking them to do everything from putting forward, a curriculum that has to do with Anti-racism which you know obviously nobody supports racism. But that's an unfunded mandate to our localities I've had to actually have conversations with university presidents because we had sociology professors who are teaching in their sociology class that "Make America Great Again" meant a return to white supremacy, which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life but that's being taught as fact. In our college colleges and universities, the whole usage of the preferred pronouns like they did in a freshman orientation Virginia Tech. This is all social engineering and they've started at a very early age in our public schools. Accepting that you know. This is this is okay. This is the new norm.

POPE: As governor--as governor--then, what specifically-- what kind of actions would you take to combat that I? Mean I hear your frustration and I've heard this from conservatives for years about college campuses stifling conservative viewpoints and concerns about what's being taught in public school classrooms. I've heard this frustration, but what can you or should you do as governor on those issues?

CHASE: Well, I won't have--I'm not going to reveal all of my strategy and plan, but I will tell you that I will have the right educational experts in place that we will reform education in Virginia. We will get back to what public education should be about instead of the social engineering that we're seeing taking place in--listen--people can laugh all they want to. They can make fun of what I'm saying here I really don't care I've talked to Virginians all over. Parents all over Virginia who are not sending their kids back to public school because they're tired of it they're tired of it and there are a lot of parents because cove and because one hundred percent mandates of online learning that parents are choosing to home school for the first time and the. To get more involved in their kids education, they're choosing to send their kids to private schools in tutoring. They're looking at what their kids are learning and it. They don't like these force. They don't like what they're seeing. Their kids are learning this revised American history. You know there's an all out attack on not only. American. History but Virginia's history. The governor I hear what you're saying but I'm not sure it's unclear to me what role the governor would play in the curriculum for public school students. While I know having served prior governor before that the governor influences all those decisions. Listen I worked for a governor I worked for Attorney General I've worked for over 23 elected officials and I know my ability as a governor is to influence public policy on many many fronts.

20:02 - 25:01

and. I'm listening to the parents of Virginia that want to ensure that we get back to reading writing and Arithmetic and history, and telling the whole side of history and not just this revised history, and then in our colleges and universities allowing both sides of a story to be told as opposed to their version of that story.

POPE: Okay. So we've heard what governor chases agenda is for the Second Amendment and guns we've heard what governor chases agenda is for public education and the curriculum in Virginia you are also about to say something about the business agenda for Governor Chase what do you want to do for Virginia businesses?

CHASE: Well, I want to go back to education if that's okay and then we'll go into business.

POPE: I cut you off when you started to talk about this, I wanted to circle back around.

CHASE: I appreciate that I'm one hundred percent for school choice, and for giving parents the ability to make a choice to determine what method of education works best for their child. I do not believe that a child's ZIP code should determine their level of education and whether a parent uses private school public school or homeschool. We need to have viable alternatives for parents, and I'm actually introducing a bill this session it says in cases where the public schools have mandated one hundred percent online education that we the state government will actually provide an education voucher which will allow the money to follow the child plus about nine thousand dollars a year to educate a child. We're going to take the state portion of that and allow the parent to use those monies and either sending their kid to private school. Offsetting school expenses are offsetting tutoring, and I have folks on my Senator Facebook page saying I support what you're saying I'm a Democrat.

CHASE: To, going to what will I do for the businesses around? Well, first of all, I do believe we should remain an employment-at-will state. That's number one: employment-at-will. I do not believe that there is something called the Democrats like the call it "living wage" you know that's not a living wage sets a stepping stone, and we are actually hurting our businesses instead of allowing the market to determine what a person's skills and experience or worth is dictated in the market. They are actually trying to artificially inflate that through a minimum wage which they're calling a living wage. No one was ever meant to live on a minimum wage it's a steppingstone and so I would work to lead nation to make sure we get back to allowing businesses to determine a person's experience in value and what that's weren't in the workplace. Of course, the same things that we hear less regulation on, I've got a bill that I passe--the Regulatory Reform Bill--which is a pilot program, which is already in effect it was signed into law says that for every regulation you try to introduce, you gotta look to get rid off two in an effort to reduce the regulation that many businesses find so onerous. I've also introduced legislation to lower our corporate income tax rate from six percent to two and a half percent. You know now that time has gone on North Carolina has phased their corporate income tax out. We have to do more to attract. Businesses here in in I. Don't necessarily agree with programs like Go Virginia, where they pick the government should never be in the role of picking winners and losers. By giving Amazon you know millions of dollars to relocate to Virginia. We need to look at policies that are equitable for all businesses and I think lowering the corporate income tax does that.

BOWMAN, Senator, I want to wrap up this segment because we've got a couple other ones that we want to highlight I. I just want to ask you just one question, because three weeks ago you were at a Pro-Second Amendment Rally--it turns out that there were a couple of other people who were there who were identified as white supremacists in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. My question is does it bother you, as somebody who finds family so important to you, that you get called white supremacist sometimes. I feel like it must be tough to go talk to people who love you later on.

CHASE: So I was not actually there when the white supremacists were there I got there later after laughed I was invited to speak as a second amendment speaker at a rally and You know it was opened to the public everyone was welcome I. Understand there were about eight hundred people that were there black white most of us were all wearing ar fifteen. And You know they say that an armed society is a polite society I would agree.

25:02 - 30:00

CHASE: And and especially in a situation where the Richmond City Police Department is not supported by its local elected leadership is you know we had to go there and make sure that we were prepared I won't be afraid I will continue to keep my speaking engagements even in situations where it's dangerous whether it's back in January remember January twentieth I was one of the main speakers at Virginia Citizens Defense League rally right after Philip Van Cleave as an invited guest speaker, and whoever shows up I have no control over that. People are going to call me what they want. I know who I am. I don't care what they think of me. I know who I am and the people who are my supporters and are following me on my seminar to chase big. We have over a hundred and twenty, two thousand followers we're able to explain to people are messaging and to me that's what's most important I'm not gonna walk in, you're on what other people think to reach out to all people.

BOWMAN: All right. Well, let's take a quick break and we come back, we're going to talk about Senator Chase's time in the Republican Senate majority.

POPE: We're back on transitioned Virginia were joined by the first candidate to announce her campaign for governor Republicans, Senator Amanda Chase of Chesterfield. This is Transition Virginia, and we like talking about the transition of power. I'm interested in getting Senator Chase's ideas and perspectives on what it was like being in the majority with Republicans verses what it's like now being in the minority now that the Democrats have taken power. Senator Chase let me ask you about an incident that happened when Republicans were in the majority that you were personally involved in this March 2019 incident with the capital police, I'm sure you get asked about this all the time... What? happened that day? There's been lots of talk about this. So you were driving up to park outside of the Pocahontas building right there at the capitol. Complex and you needed to drive through a sort of security barrier and you were so you're trying to get through. So you could get one of these coveted parking spaces that's very close to the action but the Capitol Police wouldn't let you through and you had an altercation. This is obviously led to all kinds of discussion. Give us your perspective. What exactly happened that day?

CHASE: So what I feel happen that day was that you had an officer there who was new on the job. And really did not understand her role in her responsibility, the role of our capital police officer and we know them very well. Their function is to protect us as legislators and also the public that is their role, and which you have to understand is because we are they are so often in my main my office even out of session is in that building in the Pocahontas building and it was just a regular day for me at the office and I part where I normally park, which is right there in front of the Capitol building. So. Normally what happens is the Capitol Police officer says Hi Senator Chase actually they just open the gate and they wave and then I go park upfront like I said we're out of session though I'm just simply parking to go upstairs and to meet with constituents and do my work as a legislator never had an incident. But because of security threats that I've had while on the capital I've got security with me I was by myself and I was arriving at the Capitol and this particular officer was very different demeanor than any other capital police officer who? Quite honestly didn't seem to know what she was doing and she would not raise the gate and she walked over to me and she said on, can I help you and I said Yeah I said I'm Senator Chase, and I normally park here. My office is upstairs and she just looked very confused and I said, is there a problem and she said, well, your name is not on the list and I said what list witless are you talking about I'm not aware of any type of listen I've been parking here regularly with no issues the capital always allow me to come in and I parked my car and there never even been a hint of a question. This was ever even an issue and then you know we discussed my license plate and I love the way the Richmond Times-Dispatch likes to portray.

30:00 - 35:03

That it was like I am sitting senator that's why you all issue a Senate I have my senate plates, I am not a public safety threat. Clearly I am legislator that works in that building and she just seemed really confused I. said why don't you go get your supervisor involved and so I'm she went to get her supervisor involved didn't come back for twenty minutes and meanwhile I have constituents in meetings that are waiting for me to come upstairs and basically the long the short of it is that she refused to open the gate. I said Ma'am I have meetings and worked with when she says, I need you to park over and she pointed over to a parking deck, which is for state employees, which is where legislators are assigned apart. We don't have assigned parking places. We are assigned a deck, which at the time was not attended. It's a dark, no cell service parking deck, and because of my concern that public safety and had some issues they are at the Capitol, which is why open carried at the Capitol to deter people from land hands on me. I said I'm not gonna park in there it's not safe for me to do so. I'm actually waiting to meet my security people.

POPE: So you didn't want to park in the parking garage wanted to park in this area where you had to get through the security barrier. But your name was not on the list and that's an area where the parking spaces and access are controlled by the clerk of the Senate and in the documentation of the Capitol Police, there is a record of you making disparaging remarks about the Clerk of the Senate. Tell me about that were those words spoken? How did they get in the document? What do you think was really going on there?

CHASE: So I mean I think it was a frustrating moment in which I was treated very disparagingly by the police officer. I've never been treated with that kind of disrespect. I've always parked in parking space and no matter who is controlled by. You're still respectful to the legislators that are there and I did everything I could to keep my composure and I was actually pretty calm the entire time but whenever we had to public school buses coming up behind me and. She said I need you to move your car over for the to public school buses that really upset me because I'm thinking you're allowing to school buses full of people you don't even know who's on the school bus I mean, hopefully, it's kids but you don't know--if this is such a secure area then you should allow me through and then also allow the bus through. So what I will share with you is that police officers no longer there. I was actually there for a reopen Virginia Rally, and one of the Capitol Police Officers pulled me aside and said Senator Chase, Your friend is no longer here and I said, "my friend?" and I said, "Oh" And she said yeah "she someone else's problem now."

POPE: Did you call the clerk of the Senate Miss Piggy?

CHASE: I don't have any recollection of that now.

POPE: So, I think some listeners might be wondering why we're going into so much detail about a parking disagreement but all of this is relevant because this leads to a rift between you and the other members of the Senate Republican Caucus that ended up with you leaving the Senate Republican Caucus.

CHASE: So why I left the Republican Senate Caucus. I left the Republican Senate Caucus because I refuse to set under Senator Tommy Normant who had introduced legislation that was against the second. Amendment, he had voted for taxes. Tax Increases had nothing to do with the parking incident.

POPE: Well, my point was this began a rift and the disagreements between you and the other members of the Senate Republican Caucus became so intractable that you ended up being so...

CHASE: With that, I would actually say that the rift began whenever the. Senate majority leader, I realized that he knew the entire time during session that we would have four defectors that would vote for Medicaid expansion. We had members of our own Senate caucus who pledged not to expand Medicaid, and at the ninth hour, they went back on their word. I mean they said that they were not gonna back Medicaid expansion, and they did, and that's what started the rift because it was at that moment I felt betrayed by my caucus. There was a lot of frustration because I had incidences where a had we were supposed to have an order where you go through the chair to raise your hand and ask. Questions on the caucus meetings. Every time I went to raise my hand someone would talk over me I felt like I was under the thumb of the caucus.

35:04 - 40:00

CHASE: I didn't feel like I was listening to respected or appreciated, and so I was looking for new leadership and so when we were re-elected to the Senate I sent a text of the leadership said, "If you elect Tom Norment as the next senator, I'm not going to be able to stay in the Senate Caucus." It has nothing to do with the Capitol police or any of that. And, you know, too, that I would say I still have a good relationship individually with the members of the caucus. But I'm all about principle and I do not believe that Senator Tommy Norment. It's nothing personal against him but I, felt that they, the Virginia Senate, had lost a number of its seats. We never--we didn't challenge a number of seats that we needed to challenge. They should have challenged every last one of those Democratic seats that was opened should have been challenged. I felt like we needed different leadership. Tommy Norment had been the Senate majority leader for over a decade. It was time for a change. We were losing elections and people can argue all day. Well, maybe you would've lost more seats or less seats I just know that we didn't up anyone to challenge those open seats. And so I was frustrated and I said, you know what is it? They save out frustration doing the same thing and expecting different results I just felt like it was nothing personal but we need new leadership. We need new leadership at the helm answered. That is why I walked away from Republican Caucus. It was not over a personality issue it was an over anything else I will say that am I. Reelection Campaign I was frustrated that whenever that incident occurred with the Capitol Police, not one phone call was made to me to ask my side of the story to ask if I was okay. Because if you look at my history with the police, I've never had a run-in with the police and I'm fifty years old. Not one member of the Republican Senate caucus called to check and say, "what is your side of the story?" They just decided to take the side of the Capitol Police officer, and, you know, that's unfortunate. I mean that that's very important. You know I know is a mom with kids I know there are two sides to every story and I feel like that my side of the story was never heard or even had an opportunity to be heard by the Republican Senate caucus and I'm not going to continue to be a part of an organization that does not listen to its members I'm just not.

BOWMAN: Senator, you call them you call the Senate Republican Caucus corrupt at one point. Why do you say that the Republican Party is corrupt?

CHASE: Well, I don't think the entire Republican Party is. Okay. But I do believe that there is a pay to play system and Richmond Republicans and Democrats as a legislator in the Senate as a part of the Republican Caucus. I was charged a caucus do. Ten thousand dollars a year whether I had a campaign or. was expected to pay at now. You know we make about eighteen grand a year you do the math. As a result of that, we had to raise money to pay these caucus dues which basically. Meant in many cases unless you're GONNA do fundraisers every month which I have done I had fundraisers as well but I you know I realized I WANNA spend more time focused on helping people than I do raising money.

POPE: Now the Senate Republican Caucus also invested some money to help you get re-elected too right?

CHASE: Now they will stay they did but I asked them to not. They did not ask for my permission in sending out a mailer, which by the way did not even have my name on it. There were me and an opponent he's also named. And I said I, first of all, I've run campaigns for over a decade congressional statewide races. I knew what I was doing I didn't need the Republican Senate caucus to come in and tell me how to run my campaign and I knew exactly what I was doing and they did nothing to help me funny thing they came out against me they came out and supported the Capitol Police officer over one of their earned members. which spiraled into others retracting endorsements. which hurt my campaign and You know instead of asking my side of the story. Instead of giving me an opportunity to explain, they probably would not have come out in favor of that police officer, but I was not given that opportunity. So.

CHASE: But let's go back to what I was talking about the pay to play system. The lobbyists in the packs are very much entrenched with legislators how much money you receive from the lobbyists and legislators depends on your committee assignments and if you're a chairman or not.

40:01 - 45:06

CHASE: Right. So, if I'm a legislator and I'm netting eight, thousand dollars a year let's just say. You. Definitely. Don't do this job to make money. Right? But basically the system in itself makes legislators dependent on that lobbyists money to pay their caucus dues. If you look at ninety percent of the policy in Virginia, it is influenced by the lobbyists and I fully believe that we need to put an end to that system of pay to play. They actually rewrote the Senate rules this year saying that if you are not a member of one of either the Democratic Caucus or the Republican caucus that you are not allowed to have committee assignments, that's not right. That's pat-to-play.

BOWMAN: Senator, you were walking us through how the caucus do system works and how it you get an allotment based off your position and it forces those people and members to go off and raise money, lobbyists being the most reliable check. So my question really is, can you point to a time where that system actually influenced the policy discussion or even the final product?

CHASE: Yeah, we'll look at our Virginia budget. It's balanced on revenues from alcohol. Now, there were looking at casino gambling.

BOWMAN: Right. Much of our budget actually comes from the stock market, which is why the revenue projections kept on going wild by the way. That's a little piece of the weeds.

CHASE: Trust me [cross talk], but you know a lot of the policies that we implement I. Think there was a lot of pressure on legislators regarding gambling and bringing casinos here to Virginia this you're like I've never seen before and that finally passed. Over.

BOWMAN: That's a great jumping-off point to segue to our next segment. So we are going to take a quick break. When we come back, we are going to speak about life in the Republican minority.

POPE: And we're back on Transition Virginia. We're talking to the first candidate to formally announce for Governor, Republican senator, Amanda Chase of Chesterfield who is currently a member of the minority in the Senate, and she's not just in the minority she's also in the minority and not a member of the minority caucus. So Senator, when I asked You about your campaign for governor one of the first things you said, is that you want to reverse kind of what's been going on recently with the Democrats taking power. You talked about, Virginia going off the cliff to socialism. Explain what you meant by that.

CHASE: I believe exactly what I said is that we are going off the cliff to socialism. Most people that I talked to get that and they don't need explanation the laws that we are passing or restricting. The rights of Virginians giving them less liberties, we can go down a list of all the legislation that was put forward by this General Assembly I mean, let's just take it giving. Let's look illegals were now giving illegals driver's privilege cards--

BOWMAN: They're undocumented immigrants on the show so.

[CROSS TALK]

POPE: I'd rather talk about the policy. So so giving undocumented drivers, privileged cards is that socialism?

CHASE: So I think what happens is you are allowing people an opportunity. I think--listen if we still had the requirement to present identification, a Virginia identification to vote which used to be the law land, but of course that was taken away. And your allowing people to use a driver's privileged cards, which looks almost identical to our government-issued ID for all Virginians. You can call them undocumented whatever you want to call them but they're not here legally we call them "illegal" where I'm from

BOWMAN: I, just call him human.

CHASE: Humans? well at least I know where you're coming from. So listen I would say this, we want to make sure that we have one vote for every person that is eligible to we want to make sure that every vote counts that have to be made secure. So we need to make sure Virginians voting in Virginia elections. If we don't, we open ourselves to allowing that aren't Americans to vote and influence our system.

45:08 - 49:06

POPE: If it's possible senator go back to this comment that you made earlier about cliff to socialism. So is the is the driver privilege cards for undocumented drivers Socialism?  Is recent changes to voting and how voting happens--is that socialism? I'm just trying to understand exactly why you use that language? Exactly what?

CHASE: When I say we're going off the cliff to socialism--my base--they get it I  don't even have to explain it because they feel it. This onerous government has issued executive orders limiting their constitutional rights, their Constitutional Rights, everything from the limitations of how many people can assemble together. That's against the constitution wearing them ask you know making it illegal for people to earn a living making them dependent on the government having the federal government through the care that pay more to the person in a subsidy. They actually making on their job incentivizing people not to work. That's socialism We can go through some legislation at another time if you want, and I can pick through all of those bills but I'm telling you that there is a an oath part effort to wipe out her. And just a race history unless just rebuild a different America any they're talking about defunding police. defunding the police that used to be a bipartisan issue. Republicans and Democrats agreed on and now we're talking about frigging defunding the police. Those are the public safety keepers like. I can't even believe that I mean this the police had never even fully been funded. We just worked in the legislature to bring about correcting some of the wage compression issues that they've had. We need to support our police look what happens when we don't look at Richmond. It's like a war torn area where you've got demolished buildings look at the Richmond police. Department building. That's they're completely demolished far trucks dump trucks not far trucks. The GRT bus. was set on fire. The dump truck was set on fire all because Mayor Stony stand out, and you know how the governor called the National Guard gets a mortar in there.

POPE: Senator One. Last question we probably have to wrap up our podcast I really appreciate your time. What else can you tell us about your campaign for Governor and what a governor Amanda Chase would want to accomplish with her four years in the Executive Mansion.

CHASE: So first of all, I just I plan on number things number one, which we talked about restoring us back to the constitution but the US Constitution and the Virginia Constitution second we need major education reform not only in our public schools but in our higher education and universities third, we need to implement policies that help our small businesses not hurt them those are the main three and I'll tell you I'm not putting up with a bunch of crap from people we're going to get rid of this pay-to-play system, which is influencing our policy in Virginia I will be exposing it for as long as I'm a senator. I'll be there for four years I do intend on being Virginia governor, but we need to make it illegal people should legislature should not be receiving PAC money thousands of dollars in PAC money, which influences their votes. Let them earn a salary and be just like every other Virginia that walks in that building. They should not be influenced by giving legislators who vote on that very legislation on those committees that is wrong and every Virginia that I talked to believe that is well.

BOWMAN: That as an amazing spot to end it on. Thank you for listening to Transition Virginia, you can find us on Itunes or wherever you get your podcasts. We are on twitter @TransitionVA, and you can find us on the web at www.transitionvirginia.com.