Things Get Worse for Virginia's Lt. Gov.

The state Democratic Party says he should resign
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 9, 2019 10:15 AM CST
Things Get Worse for Virginia's Lt. Gov.
Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax speaks during an interview in his office at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019.   (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Things are only getting worse for Virginia's embattled lieutenant governor, who lost a key source of support Saturday: his own state party, USA Today reports. Citing the "credible nature" of the latest rape allegation against Justin Fairfax, the Democratic Party of Virginia said he "no longer has our confidence or support" and "must resign." The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, which supported Fairfax after the first accusation, also says the 39-year-old official should step down.

But Fairfax is resisting the pressure, calling the accusations "a vicious and coordinated smear campaign" and vowing to "clear my good name." State lawmaker Patrick Hope, a Democrat, is adding to the pressure by promising to start impeachment proceedings Monday against Fairfax if he doesn't resign—which would put state Dems in the "excruciating" position of impeaching a black lawmaker while two white state leaders are refusing to step down after admitting they wore blackface in their youth, says the New York Times. (Now Gucci has a blackface scandal of its own.)

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