Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax calls for investigation into sexual assault allegations
Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax repeated Saturday he is not resigning after two women came forward and accused him of sexual assault. Fairfax instead called on "all appropriate and impartial investigatory authorities, including the FBI, to investigate fully and thoroughly the allegations against me."
Several of the state's top Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, have called for Fairfax to step down after a second woman came forward Friday to accuse Fairfax of sexual assault. Fairfax has maintained the allegations against him are not true.
"The one thing I want to make abundantly clear is that in both situations I knew at the time, and I know today, that the interactions were consensual," Fairfax said.
Earlier this week, Vanessa Tyson, an associate professor of political science at Scripps College in Claremont, California, alleged Fairfax sexually assaulted her at the Democratic National Convention in 2004. In a statement, Tyson described how the alleged assault took place, claiming Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex on him, and she said she cried and gagged at the time.
"I cannot believe, given my obvious distress, that Mr. Fairfax thought this forced sexual act was consensual. To be very clear, I did not want to engage in oral sex with Mr. Fairfax and I never gave any form of consent," Tyson said in the statement.
On Friday, a second woman, Meredith Watson, accused Fairfax of raping her while they were students at Duke in 2000. Watson said in a statement via her lawyer Saturday night that she would be willing to testify at an impeachment hearing against Fairfax. Virginia delegate Patrick Hope, a Democrat, said Friday night he will be bringing articles of impeachment against Fairfax.
Fairfax denies both allegations. He said Saturday he heard from Tyson after their encounter and he knew Watson after their encounter, and he said neither ever "said or otherwise indicated that our interaction was not consensual or caused her any discomfort."
Fairfax has been in the national spotlight this week after Gov. Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook page emerged, which featured a photo with a man in blackface and a man dressed as a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Northam has denied he was in the photos and insists he will not step down.
The allegations against Fairfax emerged after there were calls for Northam to resign, since he would be next in line to become governor.
Also last week, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring admitted to wearing blackface in his youth, and State Sen. Tommy Norment edited the college yearbook that featured racial images and slurs.