'I believe her claim': Democratic presidential candidate Julin Castro

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro on Thursday said he believes the account of the woman accusing Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, but Castro stopped short of calling for Fairfax to step down.

“I had an opportunity yesterday to read through Doctor Tysons’s statement. I believe her claim,” Castro said in a meeting with Washington Post reporters. “I know that Lieutenant Governor Fairfax has denied it. My hope is that there’s some process to get to the bottom of that.”

The answer reflected the awkward position that national Democrats face as they follow the rapid-fire developments in Virginia, with some taking inconsistent positions as they call for some resignations but not others. Some Democrats are also adopting positions that don’t square with their calls last year to not confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, after he faced claims that he had committed a sexual assault when he was in high school.

The explosion of developments in Virginia has put a new and unwelcome focus on the Democrats who have seized control of the state as it has turned more reliably blue in recent elections.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/i-believe-her-claim-democratic-presidential-candidate-julian-castro-on-accuser-of-virginia-lt-gov-justin-fairfax/2019/02/07/56007c80-2af1-11e9-b2fc-721718903bfc_story.html

[qazplm135]

1. silly statement

if you believe her, he should step down. If you think her claim has merit but you want more investigation, then say that.

But don't say I believe her, but also I want to "Get to the bottom of things."

[apnu]

2. This is an opportunity for the Democrats to put their big boy pants on

Both nationally and in Virginia.

Develop a process to deal with this. Confront it, learn from it, have a path forward.

We're all intelligent adults here, we can figure this out. It shouldn't be hard.

Do that and we will be a thousand miles ahead of the Republicans.

[Blue_Tires]

3. I hope for his sake that Castro

is privy to some information that we aren't getting or he's just hedging his bets because this is borderline irresponsible.

[subterranean]

4. "Seized control"?

I know this is off-topic, but I take issue with that choice of words by the WaPo. I thought the Democrats gained control by winning an election. Saying they "seized control" of the state makes it sound like an armed insurrection. It's also inaccurate since Republicans still control the state legislature.

[harumph]

5. Did he or she keep a calendar?

[shanny]

6. fwiw I don't care what Julian Castro believes on this issue

or anybody else for that matter. Do an investigation.

[Jarqui]

7. "I believe her claim" is a really poor choice of words

There isn't enough evidence to reliably believe either of them.

I would agree that like Dr. Ford, Dr Tyson seems like a good person who presents a plausible claim. Unlike Kavanaugh or better than Kavanaugh, Lt Gov Fairfax seems like a good person who presents a plausible counter claim.

The dispute deserves due process.

The problem is that there seems to be a lack of evidence to ever be able to make a determination as to which claim is valid.

[ChubbyStar]

8. Who is Julin Castro?

Attention to detail is important.

[BlueStater]

9. Stupid move.

There's not enough information regarding the encounter for him to give that answer. He should have just stayed neutral.

[PeeJ52]

10. What's wrong with people admitting "I don't know"?

I have no idea who to believe after all these years and without any corroborating facts on either side. It's not like Blasey-Ford where she had told someone years before of event. I'd say if she feels strongly about it to press charges.

I'd have to say I believe both of them as I have no reason not to at this point.

[groundloop]

11. Yep.... it's very likely only two people know the facts....

and those two people are seeing the facts from different angles.

I certainly hope there's an investigation into this matter which will ascertain what happened. After that investigation, if the claim is found to be true, then and only then should Lieutenant Governor Fairfax resign or be removed from office.

[Apollyonus]

12. Typo ............................ it is Julian not Julin nt

[BlueStater]

13. This is the second thread in the LBN forum, in the last few days,...

...where I've seen his name spelled as "Julin".

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142258285

What's up with that? Are the people posting these articles actually typing out the headlines instead of just copying and pasting them?