More Virginia Politicians Stuck with Tar Baby
BREAKING: Virginia Democrat Ibraheem Samirah Apologizes For Anti-Semitic Posts; ‘I Am So Sorry’
Ibraheem Samirah, the Democrat nominee in Virginia’s 86th district House of Delegates election on February 19th, issued a statement Friday evening apologizing for anti-Israel and anti-Semitic social media posts that were published Thursday by Big League Politics. Samirah, a Muslim-American born to Palestinian refugees, said that giving money to Israel is worse than giving money to the Ku Klux Klan and wished for the late Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to “burn,” in addition to other hateful screeds.
“This slander campaign is using my 5-year old Facebook posts from my impassioned college days, posts that upon reflection and with the blessing of time, I sincerely regret and apologize for. I am so sorry that my ill-chosen words added to the pain of the Jewish community and I seek your understanding and compassion as I prove to you our common humanity,” Samirah stated.
Terry McAuliffe Calls on Justin Fairfax To Resign Immediately
The allegations against Justin Fairfax are serious and credible. It is clear to me that he can no longer effectively serve the people of Virginia as Lieutenant Governor. I call for his immediate resignation.
— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) February 8, 2019
As second woman accuses him of sexual assault, Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax vows to stay in office
From RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH
A second woman came forward Friday to accuse Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, alleging Fairfax attacked her in 2000 while they were students at Duke University, a claim Fairfax called “demonstrably false.”
A number of Virginia Democrats called on Fairfax to resign, and a Democrat in the House of Delegates said he would introduce articles of impeachment if Fairfax didn’t resign by Monday. The second accusation comes seven days after the beginning of a series of scandals now engulfing Virginia’s top three leaders — Gov. Ralph Northam, Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring.
An attorney for Meredith Watson released a statement accusing Fairfax of a “premeditated and aggressive” rape that Watson told her friends about in emails and Facebook messages. “Additionally, we have statements from former classmates corroborating that Ms. Watson immediately told friends that Mr. Fairfax had raped her,” the statement said. Fairfax and Watson were friends but never dated or had a romantic relationship, according to the statement.
The attorney said Watson came forward after learning of the similar allegation leveled against Fairfax by Vanessa Tyson, a California professor who has accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting her in a Boston hotel room in 2004. MORE
The Latest: Sen Warner: ‘Sexual assault is never acceptable’
US Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia says sexual assault accusations against state’s Virginia’s governor are serious matter
FROM ABC NEWS
By The Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. — 11 PM Feb 8, 2019
The Latest on the fallout after two top Virginia Democrats admitted wearing blackface and another was accused of sexual assault (all times local):
10:45 p.m.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner is holding off from directly calling for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s resignation after two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault. But Warner says the allegations against his fellow Democrat are serious and Fairfax should resign if they are true.
“Sexual assault is never acceptable, and survivors of violence and harassment deserve to be heard. If these allegations concerning Lieutenant Governor Fairfax are accurate, then they are clearly disqualifying,” Warner said in a statement Friday evening.
Many Virginia Democratic officials have called for Fairfax to resign immediately.
A second woman came forward Friday to accuse Fairfax of sexual assault. She said the attack took place when she and Fairfax were students at Duke University. MORE
Second woman accuses Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault
A Maryland woman said Friday that she was sexually assaulted by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) in a “premeditated and aggressive” attack in 2000, while both were undergraduate students at Duke University. She is the second woman this week to accuse him of sexual assault. Fairfax forcefully denied both allegations.
Democratic Party leaders quickly called for Fairfax to resign. Many who had withheld judgment after the first allegation this week said they could no longer stand by him, including most of Virginia’s Democratic congressional delegation and national Democrats with presidential aspirations.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) told senior staff that he would serve out the remaining three years of his term and would not step down amid his own scandal involving a racist photograph from his 1984 medical school yearbook. MORE