Va. Republicans plan hearings into sex assault allegations against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

RICHMOND — Republicans will invite two women who have accused Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) of sexual assault to testify before lawmakers, despite Democrats’ objections that it would turn into a “political, partisan show.”

The move came one day after House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) criticized Democrats for resisting his efforts to launch a bipartisan investigation into the accusations against Fairfax.

Del. Rob Bell (R-Albermarle) rose on the House floor shortly after noon on Friday and said the body had “a duty to investigate.” He said the House Courts of Justice committee will schedule a hearing but did not provide a date.

Cox originally proposed a 10-person investigative committee — with five Republicans, five Democrats and limited subpoena power — to look into claims by Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson that Fairfax sexually assaulted them years ago. The lieutenant governor has emphatically denied those claims and said the encounters were consensual.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-republicans-plan-hearings-into-sex-assault-allegations-against-lt-gov-justin-fairfax/2019/02/22/92eb5038-36b4-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.html?utm_term=.98ededcb30d0

[SunSeeker]

1. Republican hypocrisy knows no bounds. nt

[Renew Deal]

2. In the end, Fairfax will be the only one gone

Northam and Norment will still be there.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

8. Repugs want to knock out the smart, popular black guy.

If it were a white male, especially a Repug white male, they'd be more hesitant to act.

[Renew Deal]

9. Do you really believe that they wouldn't go after any Democrat?

Look at Nashville

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

13. True.

Mayor Megan Barry kind of shot herself in the foot, though. The citizens of Nashville seemed willing to be understanding and forgiving about her affair -- maybe they felt sympathy because of her son's recent death because of an overdose -- but once it turned out that she and her security officer had used (stolen) government funds to go on their soirees, the tide turned against her. I don't think the Repugs had to do anything other than watch her self-destruct.

She handled the whole thing with dignity, unlike Fat Donnie, who wouldn't know dignity if it hit him in the face.

[Blue_Tires]

11. I remain unconvinced

The stories from both accusers are shoddy as hell. Nevermind the fact that the second accuser should be a national story BECAUSE SHE ACCUSED COREY MAGGETTE OF RAPING HER AND A DEAN (AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST FAMOUS COACH WHO EVER LIVED) OF COVERING IT UP BUT BECAUSE IT'S DUKE FUCKING BASKETBALL ITS 100% UNTOUCHED BY SIN AND THAT STORY DIDN'T LAST SIX HOURS IN THE NEWS CYCLE(!)

Barring of course a lot more women coming forward or some ton of irrefutable evidence being dropped like in Cosby's case, Fairfax will not only be fine, he should welcome any investigation and get it all out there...

[atreides1]

3. Right!!!

These are the very same Republicans who just yesterday refused to bring the ERA Amendment to the floor of the House of Delegates!

And now we're suppose to believe that they give a tinker's damn about the allegations of these two women?

Mr. Cox just loves to salute those Confederate heroes of the War Between the States, when ever he gets the chance, especially when he knows that the Lieutenant Governor will always leave when he does!!!

Cox isn't doing this to seek justice, he's doing it to get Fairfax removed from office!!!

[JudyM]

10. That was my first thought, too. The care *so* much about women but near-partylined the ERA

vote. Im confident that we VA voters will be taking them DOWN soon.

[moriah]

4. This is a bad idea with a potential ongoing criminal case in MA.

I've been triggered, a LOT, by all of this.

I get why people don't report. I was betrayed by the justice system when I did, it felt like, because even though the police found me credible, the prosecutor refused to even take it to a grand jury. Not enough evidence beyond my word, so the (female) prosecutor didn't want to risk her win/loss ratio apparently.

The Suffolk County DA has decided the better move for their career is to investigate even at this late of a date, especially because the MA SOL runs out this summer. And maybe it's not fair to guys or to other victims who report immediately that accusing a politician means prosecutors decide not to sit on their hands but instead let the judgement call fall on a grand jury, but if Fairfax really is a rapist and there are allegations within statute, he should have a trial and maybe, just maybe, face criminal penalties -- if convicted.

And I get that it's unlikely to result in a conviction, even if Dr. Tyson is getting an opportunity I was denied -- to probably at least testify in front of a grand jury. It's still more of a chance at justice than most rape victims get. And filing the police report is showing she is willing to accept any criminal penalties that come from an obviously false report, not just one found to be unsubstantiated.

So I'm rather irritated at Meredith Watson's legal team, or whoever wrote her OpEd if not herself and her lawyers together, when she said she will continue to "refuse to make this a law enforcement issue".

Rape IS a law enforcement issue, and she's throwing away the opportunity I prayed for like it's trash.

And pushing for hearings could mess things up for Dr. Tyson, who DOES want to try.

[theboss]

5. Didn't we want hearings on this originally?

I've completely lost the script on what we are supposed to believe here.

[moriah]

6. I have been conflicted.

But when Dr. Tyson decided to cooperate with the Suffolk County DA despite apparently having a harder case to prove (whereas Ms. Watson has had friends speaking to the media saying she disclosed far more contemporaneously than now), and Ms. Watson's accusations also being within the statute for criminal prosecution....

It means that regardless of whether we think it's fair or not that most victims of acquaintance rape who report immediately never even get to see the face of a prosecutor, that any testimony in hearings or outside of the criminal process that at ALL conflicts with what is said *in* the criminal case will create more reasonable doubt.

And no offense to Lt. Gov. Fairfax, but he was a prosecutor himself. He will keep his story straight. It's not as likely for him to be the one to screw himself over by testifying differently at different hearings.

And I've finally come to my own decision. If Meredith Watson wants to throw away the chance that laws have given her to attempt to bring her alleged rapist to some kind of REAL justice in exchange for a media circus -- whereas Dr. Ford didn't have that option, the behavior alleged was likely to not have been charged as a felony, etc -- she shouldn't mess up Dr. Tyson's attempt to use the criminal justice system. Hearings should wait until the Suffolk County DA finishes their investigation and has a grand jury look at the results.

[JudyM]

12. +1.

[brush]

7. As long as it's not a repug-orchestrated charade...

yes, an investigation is warranted.

Let's see if this plays out fairly.