RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Days before Virginia’s 2021 gubernatorial election, state Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) claimed she knew how Democrats were “cheating” and that the information had been shared with Glenn Youngkin’s campaign.
Attorney General Mark Herring asked Chase to hand over any evidence of election fraud she claimed to have with his office, saying in an Oct. 28 statement that she was required to provide it to the authorities “rather than secretively sharing” it with political allies.
In a text message on Nov. 4, Chase told 8News “the right people already have the information” and she would be releasing a full election report.
Now, a month after Youngkin’s victory, the report Chase said she would make public after the election has not been presented to the governor-elect, Virginia’s next attorney general, Jason Miyares or Herring’s office.
“As Attorney General Herring said when he first requested she [Chase] produce the evidence, she has an obligation to share any information she may have about illegal conduct with the authorities who can do something about it,” a spokeswoman for Herring, Charlotte Gomer, wrote in an email Wednesday.
Chase said Thursday that she has brought together a coalition of experts, including “data engineers and scientists,” to work on the election report but it won’t be ready until after Youngkin and Miyares are inaugurated next month.
“It’s pretty comprehensive. It’s very technical in nature,” Chase said of the report. “It’s a lot of information to digest.”
But Chase refused to provide specifics on whether the report has found any evidence of election fraud or cheating ahead of the Nov. 2 elections, saying that trying to prove fraud “is a really difficult feat.” She also declined to answer which member of Youngkin’s campaign she shared information with before the election and what exactly was provided.
While she said Youngkin did appear eager to listen to the alleged findings when they spoke after the election, Chase said she has not yet shared details with him or Miyares because they have been focusing on the ongoing transition process. Chase added she’s also busy with the transition, telling 8News Youngkin asked her to be part of his education transition team.
Spokespeople for Youngkin did not respond to 8News’ multiple requests for comment.
Chase did, however, say some of the findings were presented to the staff of Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment (R-James City) during a meeting that lasted roughly 90 minutes.
“I can confirm that I received a briefing from Senator Chase’s office regarding election integrity,” a spokesman for Norment, Jeff Ryer, wrote in an email late Thursday. “However, that briefing occurred before the November 2 elections.”
Chase, who lost out on the GOP nomination for governor but eventually campaigned for Youngkin across the commonwealth, mentioned the “cheating” allegations against Democrats during an interview with John Fredericks on the conservative media outlet Real America’s Voice.
“I know how Democrats are cheating, and that information has been given to the Youngkin campaign,” she told Fredericks on Oct. 27.
“I’m already getting reports today that people are going to vote, and they have never done a mail-in ballot ever and yet when they went to cast their ballot, they were told that no we have already mailed you a mail-in ballot. And so we are already looking into that,” she added.
This potential scenario brought up by Chase, who has announced a congressional bid challenging Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-7th), would not prevent a voter from using a provisional ballot at a polling location.
8News reached out to the state’s Department of Elections for an interview with Commissioner Christopher Piper but a spokeswoman for the department did not respond after acknowledging the request.
Youngkin, Miyares and lieutenant governor-elect Winsome Sears, three Republicans, will be inaugurated on Jan. 15, 2022.
This story was updated with Mr. Ryer’s statement, which was sent to 8News after publication.