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Amanda Chase Attacking Harrisonburg Small Business Owners Over Mask Requirement Prompts Outpouring of Love, Support for Vito’s Italian Kitchen

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See below for the latest outrageous behavior by State Sen. Amanda Chase, a VA GOP candidate for governor in 2021. In this case, Harrisonburg small business owners and parents to four small children posted the following.

“Last night…Aspiring gubernatorial candidate and current state senator Amanda Chase came into our restaurant. Instead of support, she threatened to sue us and insulted us because of our mask requirement. She had a note from her doctor, claiming a medical exemption. She recorded my husband while he was explaining to her our policy and got on the phone with her lawyer while in our restaurant.

Under the ADA, the law states we must make reasonable accommodations for medical conditions. And in a pandemic, offering curbside pick up is the reasonable accommodation we’ve chosen to offer. It still gives a chance for people to enjoy our food but keeps our staff and other guests as safe as possible while helping to slow the spread of Covid.

Whether our policy is the right or wrong approach, the treatment we received and the behavior she demonstrated making sure we knew who she was, was nothing short of appalling.

Decency is the first attribute we should be able to expect from our elected representatives.”

So far, the Facebook post has been shared 541 times, with 301 comments – overwhelmingly supportive of the small business owners – and 576 “likes”/”loves”/”cares” reactions. A small sampling of the comments include:
  • “Wow. Thanks for standing up for ALL of us. Unbelievable you had to endure that!”
  • “Sad… some people… just unbelievable Katharine Nye Pellerito. I smell Beelzebub in this! Hang in there, you certainly don’t deserve this kind of disrespect. You and Vito and the entire staff ALWAYS operate to the highest standard. Ask anyone… Disgraceful that this happened.”
  • “I’m so sorry that you guys were victims of what sounds like an attention-seeking stunt by someone who has no business holding public office. You ARE doing the right thing. Sending love and support.”
  • “She is from around here. Well known as a horrible person. I just hope they will vote her crazy ass out.”
  • “I’m so sorry to read this. That is deplorable behavior from anyone, much less someone who wishes to represent and lead the commonwealth. It’s a mask. Wear it. Doctors and nurses (and every other medical profession) who have medical conditions wear them every day.”
  • “Perhaps a call to your local small business association, or chamber of commerce. You are entitled to a public apology especially since you do not if existing or future customers will be hesitant to show up. Call your lawyer about stopping any video from getting out there.”
  • “Ok Katharine, I hope this helps. I went to Vito’s literally last night and I said to your husband THANK YOU for the mask requirement! I have an autoimmune disorder and you know that my son has a life threatening autoimmune disorder. It means that we have to be SO careful about where we go and in fact that was the first time we had gotten take out from you and I only felt safe enough to do so because of the requirement. She needs to know (and I will post this to her) that while her medical condition means she cannot wear a mask (presumably), our medical condition means that we cannot be around her. So I got take out, and she can get take out too. It is the compromise we make out of CARE as a COMMUNITY.”

Also, everyone check out Vito’s Italian Kitchen in Harrisonburg – looks delicious, and it’s got a 4.7 out of 5.0 rating on Facebook!

P.S. Cover image by Virginia Political Memes.

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