Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was asked about the sexual assault allegations against Virginia Democrat Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax this week and she responded very differently than she did to the allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
America Rising tracked down multiple Democratic members of Congress and asked them about the allegations against Fairfax. All of the Democrats either ignored the question or said they didn’t know anything about it.
The most notable Democrat who was confronted was Ocasio-Cortez, who refused to stop and answer the question and mumbled that she didn’t know anything about the accusations.
When allegations were made against Kavanaugh in September, Ocasio-Cortez was not so quiet as she weighed in on the accusations within 24 hours.
“As Special Counsel, Brett Kavanaugh proposed a series of totally inappropriate + sexually explicit questions about Monica Lewinsky,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted the day after the Kavanaugh allegations surfaced. “Today he stands accused of sexual assault. How could any Senator allow his nomination to proceed without investigation?”
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Other Democrats that America Rising confronted included Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Cedric Richmond (D-LA).
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Fairfax was accused on Sunday of raping a woman in 2004 and was accused by a second woman today of rape in 2000.
Fairfax responded to the second allegation with the following statement:
I deny this latest unsubstantiated allegation. It is demonstrably false. I have never forced myself on anyone ever.
I demand a full investigation into these unsubstantiated and false allegations. Such an investigation will confirm my account because I am telling the truth.
I will clear my good name and I have nothing to hide. I have passed two full field background checks by the FBI and run for office in two highly contested elections with nothing like this being raised before.
It is obvious that a vicious smear and coordinated smear campaign is being orchestrated against me.
I will not resign.
The second accuser, Meredith Watson, made the accusations through a letter released by her lawyers:
Request for Resignation of Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax
We serve as counsel for Meredith Watson, who was raped by Justin Fairfax in 2000, while they were both students at Duke University. Mr. Fairfax’s attack was premeditated and aggressive. The two were friends but never dated or had any romantic relationship.
Ms. Watson shared her account of the rape with friends in a series of emails and Facebook messages that are now in our possession. Additionally, we have statements from former classmates corroborating that Ms. Watson immediately told friends that Mr. Fairfax had raped her.
Ms. Watson was upset to learn that Mr. Fairfax raped at least one other woman after he attacked her. The details of Ms. Watson’s attack are similar to those described by Dr. Vanessa Tyson.
At this time, Ms. Watson is reluctantly coming forward out of a strong sense of civic duty and her belief that those seeking or serving in public office should be of the highest character. She has no interest in becoming a media personality or reliving the trauma that has greatly affected her life. Similarly, she is not seeking any financial damages.
On behalf of our client, we have notified Justin Fairfax through his attorneys that Ms. Watson hopes he will resign from public office. Nancy Erika Smith, Attorney for Meredith Watson