On Monday morning, Virginia Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax issued a strong statement denying an allegation of sexual assault. Later in the day, Lt. Gov. Fairfax suggested to the press that Governor Ralph Northam (D-VA) was behind the leaked allegation in an attempt to sully his name.
Notably, Fairfax is next in line to take over as the state’s governor if Northam were to answer calls for his own resignation.
After he advocated for abortion up to the minute of birth and infanticide in a radio interview last week, an alleged photo of Northam in either blackface or KKK attire from a 1984 medical school yearbook resurfaced. Northam initially copped to the racist photo and issued an apology. Strangely enough, he then had a change of tune: it’s not him in the photo, he claims, but he did darken his face during a talent show to look like now-deceased pop icon Michael Jackson. Northam also told reporters that he can still moonwalk.
A reporter asked Fairfax on Monday his thoughts concerning a statement from the Collective Political Action Committee (PAC), which suggested Northam’s team was behind the leaked sexual assault allegation.
Collective PAC, according to their sources, said “Governor Northam’s team and advisors have now decided to start attacking Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax by spreading lies to reporters and state leaders in an attempt to quell support for the Lt. Governor as Governor Northam’s impending successor should he resign.”
Fairfax suggested Collective PAC’s information was correct, repeatedly telling reporters that the timing of the allegation leak is no coincidence.
“Collective PAC has made its statement,” Fairfax said. “You know, I don’t know precisely where this is coming from, you know, we’ve heard different things. But here’s the thing: Does anybody think it’s any coincidence that on the eve of my potentially being elevated, that that’s when this uncorroborated smear comes out — does anybody believe that’s a coincidence? I don’t think anybody believes that’s a coincidence.”
“This is not the first time this was brought up. It was a year ago this was brought up. And the Post investigated three months, dropped the story, did not do it, and they did not do it because it was uncorroborated, and it was uncorroborated because it was not true,” he continued.
A fellow from Stanford University, identified as Vanessa Tyson, claimed she was assaulted in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention, Big League Politics reported Sunday night. The allegation implied the accusation was against Fairfax, though the lieutenant governor’s name was not expressly mentioned.
“Imagine you were sexually assaulted during the DNC Convention in Boston in 2004 by a campaign staffer. You spend the next 13 years trying to forget it ever happened. Until one day you find out he’s the Democratic candidate for statewide office in a state some 3000 miles away, and he wins that election in November 2017,” said a post from the accuser. “Then, by strange, horrible luck, it seems increasingly likely that he’ll get a VERY BIG promotion.”
Fairfax outright denied the accusation and said he would take legal action against those attempting to smear him.
“Tonight, an online publication released a false and unsubstantiated allegation against Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax,” said a statement from Fairfax. “Lt. Governor Fairfax has an outstanding and well-earned reputation for treating people with dignity and respect. He has never assaulted anyone ever in any way, shape, or form.”
The Democrat also claimed that The Washington Post spiked a story concerning the same allegation in 2017 because it was uncorroborated. “The Post carefully investigated the claim for several months,” he said. “After being presented with facts consistent with the Lt. Governor’s denial of the allegation, the absence of evidence corroborating the allegation, and significant red flags and inconsistencies within the allegation, the Post made the considered decision not to publish the story.”
After Fairfax’s statement was posted, the Post admitted spiking the story but noted that they never found “significant red flags and inconsistencies within the allegations.”
“The Post did not find ‘significant red flags and inconsistencies within the allegations,’ as the Fairfax statement incorrectly said,” said a story from the Post, adding, “Fairfax and the woman told different versions of what happened in the hotel room with no one else present. The Washington Post could not find anyone who could corroborate either version.”
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