Northam drops plans to attend racial reconciliation event Thursday at Virginia Union University

https://www.richmond.com/news/...7e-252cc678bcb2.html

Gov. Ralph Northam will no longer attend a racial-reconciliation event planned at Virginia Union University Thursday, acceding to a request from student leaders at the historically black school.

Northam’s visit was to coincide with the school’s annual commemoration of students who protested segregation in Richmond nearly 60 years ago. In a letter to Northam, dated Monday, Jamon Phenix, president of the Student Government Association, said Northam’s visit could overshadow the tribute.

Northam tweeted Wednesday that he would “respect the wishes of the student body,” and instead host the civil rights activists at the Executive Mansion on Friday.

He also accepted an invitation by Phenix “for future dialogue and honest conversation on issues of race, reconciliation and equity.”

VUU was to be Northam’s first public stop in his planned reconciliation tour following the Feb. 1 revelation that a racist photograph appeared on his page in his 1984 medical school yearbook. Northam disclosed the next day that he wore blackface that same year as part of a Michael Jackson costume for a dance contest in San Antonio.

Northam would do far better by dropping out of sight to the maximum extent possible and abandoning his grand racial reconciliation tour (which wont accomplish anything except raise more criticism).

Not only did he tank his political future, he took Fairfax and Herring with him.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Northam would do far better by dropping out of sight to the maximum extent possible and abandoning his grand racial reconciliation tour (which wont accomplish anything except raise more criticism).

Not only did he tank his political future, he took Fairfax and Herring with him.

After that press conference where he almost moon walked, I want him to be in front of the public on a daily basis. He is almost as entertaining as AOC.

quote:

Gov. Ralph Northam will no longer attend a racial-reconciliation event planned at Virginia Union University Thursday, acceding to a request from student leaders at the historically black school.

Boy, I say boy, you have been uninvited (in Foghorn Leghorn voice)

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Not only did he tank his political future, he took Fairfax and Herring with him.

Now if the three of them will just keep going... far, far away.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Not only did he tank his political future, he took Fairfax and Herring with him.

Now if the three of them will just keep going... far, far away.

“Keep going?!?” Not one of those bastards is gone.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Not only did he tank his political future, he took Fairfax and Herring with him.

Now if the three of them will just keep going... far, far away.

“Keep going?!?” Not one of those bastards is gone.

True. But hopefully this prevents them from furthering their political careers.

Now, if they were to all relinquish or be relieved of their current positions, I think I'd call it progress.
And then they can keep going. Long walk, short pier, so to speak.

House Republicans say Democrats are blocking Fairfax investigation, Democrats accuse GOP of pursuing 'political show'

https://www.richmond.com/news/...b5-09b5dd2df74c.html

Republican leaders in the Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday accused their Democratic counterparts of resisting a potential General Assembly investigation into the sexual assault claims against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax.

Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said Democrats asked him to sign on to a statement declaring a General Assembly investigation “impossible.” He said he countered with an offer to create a special Courts of Justice subcommittee of five Republicans and five Democrats that could hear testimony from Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson, the two women who have made accusations against Fairfax.

Cox said he has yet to receive an answer on his proposal.

“I think it’s very appropriate to get going on this. That’s why I’ve been really pushing the Democrats to give me an answer,” Cox said. “They seem to just sort of be running out the clock.”

Democrats said Republicans were playing politics and blowing up behind-the-scenes efforts to find a bipartisan way to handle the Fairfax issue.

“We’re not interested in political games or a political show right now,” said House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax. “This is serious.”

The hostilities that broke into the open Thursday could scramble the typical partisan battle lines in the #MeToo era, with Republicans urging bold action to respond to sexual assault claims and Democrats taking the side of deliberation and due process.

Democrats are also trying to avoid the appearance of a rush to judgment that could lead to the ouster of the only African-American in statewide office as Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, both white, remain in office after admitting to wearing blackface as young men.

Tyson, a California professor, has accused Fairfax of forcing her to perform oral sex in a Boston hotel room in 2004. Watson has accused Fairfax of raping her while the two were students at Duke University in 2000.

Fairfax has said both encounters were consensual and has refused to resign. He has repeatedly professed his innocence, saying he was being smeared when it appeared he would ascend to the governorship given the calls for Northam’s resignation over the racist photo that appeared in his medical school yearbook.

Fairfax has called for the FBI to investigate. On Thursday, he reiterated his desire for a “non-political investigation.”

“It would be extraordinary and unprecedented to initiate a General Assembly inquiry about matters that are better left to law enforcement,” said Fairfax spokeswoman Lauren Burke. “The lieutenant governor remains confident that the truth will prevail and that he will be exonerated.”

If Northam, Fairfax and Herring were to resign at the same time, Cox would become governor.

Watson and Tyson have called for the General Assembly to hold hearings to allow them to testify. Both have also expressed some willingness to participate in potential investigations by law enforcement in Massachusetts and North Carolina.

The unprecedented situation has also spurred debate over whether the House has the subpoena power and other investigative tools needed to take up the Fairfax allegations. House GOP leaders believe they have the power to call witnesses and produce evidence. Senate Republicans are more doubtful. Like House Democrats, Senate GOP leaders have said the allegations are primarily a matter for law enforcement.

Cox said he would continue exploring options for a possible Fairfax investigation.

“The victims are asking for this. They’ve consistently asked for this,” Cox said.

Filler-Corn said she was worried General Assembly action could impede the potential criminal investigations.

“We’re concerned about what’s in the best interest of the accused and the accuser and the commonwealth of Virginia,” Filler-Corn said.

In the statement Democrats floated to Republicans last week, the minority party said it would be open to a bipartisan process if necessary after law enforcement investigations have concluded. But the statement made clear that Democrats did not want to take immediate action to investigate Fairfax.

“It is our view that it is impossible for the General Assembly to conduct a thorough and credible investigation and impeachment process that is fair to Dr. Tyson and Ms. Watson and to the Lieutenant Governor, consistent with the Assembly’s constitutional responsibilities, at this time,” the statement read.

“We haven’t heard from the majority party,” Filler-Corn said. “They’re moving forward with something and we don’t know what they’re moving forward with. They have not waited.”

If Democrats wanted to hammer out a workable process, Cox said, he hasn’t gotten that message.

“We keep getting, essentially, a non-answer,” Cox said. “They’ve said no.”

Northam meets with Richmond 34 at private breakfast closed to press

https://www.richmond.com/news/...d0-43bf007c80eb.html



Gov. Ralph Northam’s reconciliation tour continued behind closed doors Friday, when the governor hosted a renowned group of local civil rights activists for a private event at the Executive Mansion.

Northam gathered with members of the Richmond 34, a group of Virginia Union University alumni who were arrested in 1960 on charges related to a sit-in at the lunch counter of the Thalhimers department store in downtown Richmond.

“It was an honor to host members of the Richmond 34 at the Executive Mansion on the 59th anniversary of their courageous sit-in, which played a pivotal role in the desegregation of Richmond businesses and the fight for civil rights,” Northam tweeted.

The reception was closed to the press, except for select photographers, including veteran Richmond Times-Dispatch photographer Bob Brown.

“To think of the bravery and the courage that it must have taken in 1960 for you to walk … into a segregated store and demand that you get the same treatment,” Northam said, according to a short video clip Brown took at the event. “That’s something that, one, is commendable, but is also history that we need to keep alive.”

Northam spokeswoman Ofirah Yheskel said, "Many mansion events are closed to press, as The Times-Dispatch is well aware."

Northam hosted the group after canceling a public appearance at VUU planned for Thursday, prompted by student opposition.

Elizabeth Johnson Rice, one of the Richmond 34, said the group appreciated the reception.

“We didn’t get a lot of one-on-one dialogue, but he heard about our experiences,” Rice said, adding that only a handful of Richmond 34 members could attend due to the last-minute nature of the visit.

“It was a good time to meet him, hear him, and for him to hear us, hear about our experiences,” said Wendell Foster, 78, one of the Richmond 34. “I think he took it in.”

Rice and Foster spoke to The Times-Dispatch at the John Marshall Courts Building, where some members of the Richmond 34 got their records expunged during a joyful ceremony Friday.

Foster said “something fell through the cracks” years ago, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared them innocent of trespassing charges but their records were not expunged.

The group was also honored Friday at the General Assembly, where Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, sponsored a joint resolution marking their activism.

“We’ve been getting honors all day,” Rice said as she exited the courthouse. “It’s wonderful.”

Rice on Wednesday spoke in favor of Northam attending a commemoration for the Richmond 34 at VUU, despite opposition from Student Government Association President Jamon Phenix and other students who feared Northam would overshadow the activists.

Northam on Wednesday accepted an invitation to come to campus at a later date to discuss racial reconciliation and other issues.

“We need to have more dialogue,” Rice said, encouraging the governor and university community to engage in a public forum.

Northam has attended few publicly announced events since his Feb. 2 news conference to address the photo on his page in his 1984 medical school yearbook that featured one person in blackface and one person in Ku Klux Klan robes. His office has not released a public schedule for the governor since the photo was unearthed.

House Republicans say they'll hold committee hearing on Fairfax sexual assault allegations

https://www.richmond.com/news/...de-05e260335712.html

A Republican lawmaker said Friday that he plans to hold a committee hearing to allow two women who have made sexual assault allegations against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax to appear before a General Assembly panel and tell their stories.

From the floor of the House of Delegates, Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, said he will schedule a meeting of the House Courts of Justice Committee at a later date and allow Vanessa Tyson, Meredith Watson and Fairfax to speak.

“This will give all parties a chance to be heard,” Bell said.

Bell said he did not have a specific date in mind, and would need to coordinate with various parties before scheduling the meeting.

The announcement deepened the political battle lines being drawn over the Fairfax allegations as lawmakers prepare to close out the General Assembly session and turn toward this year’s legislative elections. Republicans have accused Democrats of trying to fight an investigation into one of their own. Democrats have said the GOP majority is pushing for a political show trial that will produce no justice for anyone.

Tyson, a California professor, has accused Fairfax of forcing her to perform oral sex in a Boston hotel room in 2004. Watson has accused Fairfax of raping her while the two were students at Duke University in 2000.

Fairfax has adamantly denied the allegations, saying both encounters were consensual.

Watson’s attorneys quickly accepted Bell’s offer, saying in a statement that Watson “looks forward to testifying at this forum.” Tyson’s legal team took a more circumspect approach, saying Tyson had not received a formal invitation and does not want to be “embroiled in a highly charged political environment.”

“It is the duty of leaders on both sides of the aisle in Virginia to establish a bipartisan path forward that provides for due process for everyone involved and facilitates a thorough examination of the allegations,” Tyson’s legal team said in a statement.

In a new statement Friday, Fairfax spokeswoman Lauren Burke said the lieutenant governor wants a “non-political investigation by law enforcement.” Burke suggested the Republican maneuver was a way to distract attention from the House’s vote against ratifying the federal Equal Rights Amendment.

“Now suddenly the same Republicans want to distract the public from their record of opposition to women’s rights by engaging in political theater,” Burke said.

Burke said Fairfax is “confident the truth will exonerate him.”

“House Republicans want to pursue this historically unprecedented course of action because the accused is a popularly elected Democrat,” Burke said.

House Republicans have pointed to a provision in state code that empowers General Assembly committees to “order the attendance of any witness, or the production of any paper as evidence.” Anyone who denies such a summons, the statute says, can be imprisoned or fined.

Asked if House Republicans feel they have the power to force Fairfax to appear against his will, Bell said: “At this point we are simply inviting him.”

Bell said his committee would have the power to swear in witnesses before their testimony.

Bell’s announcement comes a day after House Republicans accused their Democratic counterparts of resisting a possible legislative investigation into the Fairfax allegations. Democratic leaders have said they are trying to ensure due process and don’t want to impede possible law enforcement investigations in Massachusetts and North Carolina.

The allegations have forced Democrats to make a difficult choice that could have ramifications with two key voting blocs: women and African-Americans. Democratic leaders have largely adopted the “believe survivors” mantra of the #MeToo movement. They’ve been hesitant to try to oust Fairfax, the only African-American currently elected to statewide office in Virginia, as Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, both white, remain in office despite admitting to wearing blackface as young men.

The House Democratic Caucus has called for Fairfax to resign, but it was clear Friday that the party has deep internal divisions about how to proceed.

Del. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, who opposed an earlier effort by a Democratic colleague to begin impeachment proceedings against Fairfax, rebuked Bell’s announcement in a floor speech, saying justice isn’t always applied equally to black and white.

“We can offer no conviction. We can offer no real action,” Aird said. “And we will have taken all parties involved through a political exercise that in the end could actually cause more harm than good.”

The process should be handled by law enforcement, Aird said, not by “individuals who will be on the ballot in November.”

Del. Lee Carter, D-Manassas, disagreed, saying the General Assembly should respect the wishes of the accusers and shouldn’t force them to go to the police.

“Survivors of sexual assault are and should be entitled to choose whichever legal venue they desire to seek justice,” Carter said.

Carter, who said he was once raped and chose not to go to the police, said on Twitter that a Democratic colleague approached him after his speech, wagged a finger in his face and said: “You know you’re wrong.” Carter was visibly angry on the House floor after the alleged comment, exclaiming: “How dare she!”

Carter has previously tweeted that he did not report the alleged assault “because I did not expect any justice as a male survivor of rape by an intimate partner.”

Senate Republican leaders are skeptical of the idea that the General Assembly should play a role in investigating Fairfax. It wasn’t immediately clear Friday if the Republican caucus in the House is fully united behind the leadership’s plan.

Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, a member of House courts committee, gave a noncommittal answer when asked if he’s on board with the idea.

“That’s what our chairman has said,” Kilgore said. “That’s what I’m doing.”

Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, who tried to introduce a Fairfax impeachment resolution earlier in the session to begin an investigation, said the process that Bell announced leaves “a lot of questions open” about how it will work. But he said he’s still hopeful the parties can agree on a workable path forward.

“If this is seen as a partisan exercise, nothing will come from it,” Hope said.

Northam is Smollett potatoes now.

quote:

Originally posted by SIG228:
Northam is Smollett potatoes now.

Jussie ought to ask why Northam is being given a second chance while he is not. Racism!!!

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
{snip}

Northam has attended few publicly announced events since his Feb. 2 news conference to address the photo on his page in his 1984 medical school yearbook that featured one person in blackface and one person in Ku Klux Klan robes.

Which was a convenient way for people to be diverted away from his baby killing comments, which seem to be totally forgotten now.

I haven't forgotten.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
{snip}

Northam has attended few publicly announced events since his Feb. 2 news conference to address the photo on his page in his 1984 medical school yearbook that featured one person in blackface and one person in Ku Klux Klan robes.

Which was a convenient way for people to be diverted away from his baby killing comments, which seem to be totally forgotten now.

Personally, I think that was the point. He let his ghoulish slip show and we can't have that.

https://hotair.com/headlines/a...es-lynching-victims/

Virginia Lt. Gov. Fairfax Compares Himself To Lynching Victims

“I’ve heard much about anti-lynching on the floor of this very Senate, where people were not given any due process whatsoever, and we rue that,” Fairfax said, referencing legislation the General Assembly passed expressing “profound regret” for lynchings in Virginia between 1877 and 1950.

“And we talk about hundreds, at least 100 terror lynchings that have happened in the Commonwealth of Virginia under those very same auspices. And yet we stand here in a rush to judgment with nothing but accusations and no facts and we decide that we are willing to do the same thing,” Fairfax said.

When he finished his five-minute impromptu speech, stunned senators sat in awkward silence.

Virginia's first lady under fire after handing out cotton to visiting students

https://www.foxnews.com/politi...to-visiting-students

The wife of embattled Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is at the center of another potentially embarrassing moment for the state's Democratic leadership, after an African-American legislative page claimed she gave her and another black page a ball of cotton and asked, "Can you imagine being an enslaved person and having to pick this all day?"

In a letter to Pam Northam that was dated Monday and obtained by WAVY-TV, the unidentified eighth-grader said the first lady's "comments and just the way you carried yourself ... was beyond inappropriate, especially considering recent events with the governor.

"From the time we walked into the [Executive] mansion ... I did not receive a welcoming vibe," said the student, who called the experience "very testing."

In an emailed statement, Northam spokeswoman Ofirah Yheskel denied that the first lady had singled the black students out when she led them on a tour of the mansion and an adjacent building that had once served as a kitchen.

Hand out condoms instead.

Please

Can't wait to see what she does when the exchange students from Japan show up for the mansion tour.

Fuck her. I wanted to see hubby do the MoonWalk. This silly bitch stopped it.