(AP) The lawyer representing one of the women who has accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault is urging state lawmakers not to delay a public hearing on the matter.
Attorney Nancy Erika Smith released the statement Monday on behalf of Meredith Watson after it became clear that lawmakers are not moving forward anytime soon with impeachment proceedings against Fairfax.
Smith said Fairfax should have to testify publicly. There's been no indication so far that legislative leaders want public hearings on the matter.
Watson, a former classmate of Fairfax's at Duke University, and Vanessa Tyson, a California college professor, have both said the Democratic lieutenant governor sexually assaulted them several years ago.
Fairfax has denied the allegations and called for the FBI and other authorities to investigate.
Fairfax Replaced in Lt. Gov. Assn
Fairfax is being replaced as co-chair of the Lt. Governors Association by Delaware’s Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long.
The 39-year old Fairfax is embattled with two women charging him with sexual assault.
The Virginia official has denied the allegations and has called for an investigation that included the FBI.
The Wilmington News Journal reports that there was no official comment on the allegations against the Lt. Governor in the announcement of Hall-Long’s ascension along with Washington Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib as the co-chairs.
The paper reports that Fairfax was its first chair after the organization’s creation.
Fairfax Loses Staff
(AP) Fairfax has lost several staff members after two women accused him of sexual assault and much of the state's political establishment called for him to resign.
Two of his three state staffers resigned as well the director and the fundraiser of his political action committee. Their departures were first reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Fairfax spokesman Lauren Burke said in a statement that the Democratic lieutenant governor "wishes them well."
The duties of Virginia's lieutenant governor are largely ceremonial and part time, but the office is often a springboard for a gubernatorial run.
Fairfax says he has been able to focus on his official duties despite sexual assault allegations against him by two women.
He reiterated his denials of the allegations in two new interviews published Monday.
Fairfax told The Washington Post that he doesn't plan to resign. He said he attended church with his wife on Sunday in Alexandria and received an "outpouring of support."
He told The Root that he's been able to continue his duties presiding over the Virginia Senate despite the allegations. He said, in fact, that "being able to focus on my official duties has actually helped."
He also says he respects his accusers' rights to be heard, but that he deserves due process.
Racism Charge Against Impeachment
A Virginia lawmaker says he's been called a racist on social media for threatening to begin impeachment proceedings against Fairfax over sexual assault allegations made by two women.
State Del. Patrick Hope, who is white, tells The Associated Press that he called for an impeachment proceeding to begin because he believes it would trigger an investigation into the allegations against Fairfax.
Fairfax is the state's highest-ranking black politician. He has vehemently denied the women's accusations.
Hope relented after getting feedback from other state lawmakers. The Arlington Democrat says he is continuing to talk with his colleagues about the best way for Virginia to conduct an investigation into the allegations.
Hope acknowledges that "people are concerned" about him as a white person leading the call for impeachment proceedings against Fairfax.
Black Caucus
The chairman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is signaling a willingness to work with Gov. Ralph Northam on issues important to African-Americans.
Del. Lamont Bagby said Monday that he plans to meet with the Democratic governor at a future date to lay out priorities important to black lawmakers, particularly on education and housing.
The black caucus has not withdrawn its calls for Northam to resign after the revelation of a racist photo in his medical school yearbook.
Northam has said he won't step down but wants to spend his remaining three years in office combatting entrenched racial inequalities.
Bagby says it's too soon to say whether the black caucus will ever soften its stance that Northam should resign.
African American Issues to be Addressed
Black leaders from around Virginia are spelling out how they want the state's embattled governor and attorney general to fight systemic racism. Their recommendations include bringing down Confederate statues and increasing funding for historically black colleges.
The African-American leaders challenged Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring in a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Monday.
They are calling on Northam to lead a campaign to raise $5 million for each of five historically black colleges and universities.
The letter came on the same day that a separate group of black community leaders said it had forgiven Northam and was willing to give him a second chance after he admitted to wearing blackface in 1984. Herring acknowledged wearing blackface at a college party in 1980.
Black Clergy Forgive Blackface Incidents
Some black clergy and community leaders say they forgive Northam for wearing blackface three decades ago and want to give him a second chance.
Eight leaders held a news conference on the steps of the state Capitol on Monday. Northam has resisted widespread calls for his resignation.
Former Richmond City Councilman Henry "Chuck" Richardson says Northam is a "good and decent man" who has stood with African-Americans in the past.
For example, Richardson cited Northam's call to remove Confederate statues from Richmond's Monument Avenue.
Bernice Travers is president of a group that works to empower African-American voters. She says she's asked the governor to meet with leaders to talk about how to move forward.
Moratorium on Resignation Calls
A group of black clergy and community leaders is asking for a moratorium on the widespread calls for Virginia's governor and attorney general to resign over their admissions they wore blackface in the 1980s.
The Rev. Rodney Hunter is co-director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and pastor of Richmond's Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church.
He said Monday that the records of Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring show "they are different people" than they were when they wore blackface more than three decades ago.
Hunter says the group is also calling for an end to the push for Fairfax to resign. Hunter said Fairfax deserves due process over sexual assault allegations made by two women. Hunter's group plans to hold a news conference Monday afternoon on the steps of the state Capitol.
