Mediaboss Marketing

Six top Republican elected officials in Chesapeake announced theyre withdrawing their support for City Council candidate Amanda Newins after learning shes being sued and investigated for claims of elder abuse.

In a statement, the officials said they encourage others who are likeminded and equally disappointed by these revelations to do the same.

Listed as endorsing it were Sheriff Jim OSullivan, Commonwealths Attorney Matthew Hamel, Clerk of the Circuit Court Alan Krasnoff and City Council members Stephen Best, Don Carey, and Robert Ike.

The letter went on to say the group was hoping for a meaningful response from Ms. Newins and our local party chairman, Nicholas Proffitt, but their silence has been deafening. As elected officials who have spent years working to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Chesapeakes senior citizens, we cannot remain silent in the face of these allegations of persistent elder abuse.

Chesapeake City Council candidate Amanda Newins. (Courtesy of Amanda Newins)

Newins emailed a response Friday, saying the news was not unexpected.

It doesnt surprise me that a group of individuals who have worked tirelessly against me for the past seven months and have instead supported a non-Republican candidate, now say they continue to not support me, she wrote. What does surprise me, is that they would suggest it is due to a complaint filed 59 days before the election, where the lead attorney has known political ties to that same non-Republican candidate they support.

I am confident that the people of Chesapeake see this for what it is. It is heartwarming that among others, the following individuals have supported me from the beginning and continue to support me as they believe that I will help lead Chesapeake in the right direction.

Among the people Newins listed as supporters were former U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, state senators John Cosgrove and Jen Kiggans, delegates Jay Leftwich and Barry Knight, Mayor Rick West, Vice Mayor John de Triquet, Councilmember Debbie Ritter, school board member Christie New Craig, former Commonwealths Attorney Nancy Parr, former Commissioner of the Revenue Ray Conner, Chesapeake Treasurer Barbara Carraway, and Proffitt, chair of the Chesapeake Republican Party.

Daily

Start your morning in-the-know with the day's top stories.

Newins, 30, a lawyer and vice president of the Chesapeake Bar Association, was sued this week by a great aunt who claims Newins mistreated her and her late husband, and stole hundreds of thousands in property and cash from them. The claim seeks $540,000 in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages.

A Chesapeake police spokesman confirmed on Wednesday the department received a complaint about the allegations and was investigating them.

Newins is among 13 candidates running for one of five open seats on the City Council.

Alison Zizzo, an attorney who represents Newins, issued a statement earlier this week in which she called the lawsuit baseless and questioned the timing of it being filed so close to the election.

Proffitt also said the statement was not a surprise to him in an email sent Friday to The Pilot.

Steve Best, Don Carey, Matt Hamel, Robert Ike, and Alan Krasnoff have never endorsed either Amanda Newins or the Endorsed Republican Ticket, Proffitt wrote. Furthermore, they have been actively supporting one of Ms. Newins and our endorsed tickets non-Republican opponents, whose campaign representative is the lead attorney in this lawsuit against Ms. Newins.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com

Read the rest here:
Chesapeake Republican officials withdraw support for City Council candidate amid accusations of elder abuse - The Virginian-Pilot