“2019 Virginia political crisis”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

The Virginia political crisis of 2019 occurred when all three of Virginia's statewide elected officials (all members of the Democratic Party) each became engulfed in scandal over the course of one week in February 2019, and all three were the subject of bipartisan calls for their resignation or removal from political figures across the country. The crisis started when a photo of Governor Ralph Northam's page in his 1984 medical school yearbook depicted an individual in blackface and an individual in a Ku Klux Klan outfit. Northam had sparked a national outcry two days earlier over comments interpreted by conservatives and pro-life groups as supporting infanticide. Amid widespread calls for Northam's resignation, Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax had multiple sexual assault allegations raised against him dating to 2000 and 2004. Attorney General Mark Herring revealed shortly thereafter that he had worn blackface while in college.

The issues raised together created a crisis in Virginia as all three statewide officials were engulfed in scandal over the span of a few days and the potential of all three resigning or being forced out of office became apparent.^[1] It also forced Democrats to grapple with racial and sexual assault scandals within their own party.^[2]^[3]

Background

Given the racially charged nature of the scandals, national media focused attention on Virginia's complicated history with race.^[4] Virginia had been a corner of the Atlantic slave trade triangle, and the Capital of the Confederacy. Its history has featured Monument Avenue, Massive Resistance,^[5] and the first African American state governor in US history, Douglas Wilder.^[6] More recently, Virginia voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and was the site of the Charlottesville rally in 2017.

Virginia has had two Democratic senators since 2008 and Democrats had controlled all three statewide offices since 2014. The 2017 elections had been contentious and close, leading to Democrats maintaining control of all three statewide offices while Republicans clung to a 51-49 majority in the Virginia House of Delegates and a 21-19 majority in the Virginia Senate.

Positions affected

The situation involved the position of the Governor of Virginia, as well as the two positions (Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General) that directly follow in the gubernatorial order of succession, with widespread bipartisan calls for resignations having the potential for a state constitutional crisis.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

Ralph Northam

On January 30, Northam had made controversial comments about abortion during a WTOP interview about the Repeal Act, where he stated that if a severely deformed or otherwise non-viable fetus was born after an unsuccessful abortion attempt, "the infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother."^[13] The comments sparked an outcry as conservative politicians and media figures characterized Northam's comments as promoting infanticide.^[14] After the yearbook photo was publicized, many conservative media outlets compared the two controversies and described them as a "bad week" for the governor.^[15]^[16]

On February 1, 2019, images from Northam's medical school yearbook were published on the right wing^[17] website Big League Politics.^[18] The photos showed an image of an unidentified person in blackface and an unidentified person in a Ku Klux Klan hood on Northam's page in the yearbook.^[19]^[20]^[21] A spokesman for Eastern Virginia Medical School confirmed that the image appeared in its 1984 yearbook.^[22] According to the Washington Post, the photo was sent as a tip to Big League Politics by one or more medical school classmates who were concerned about Northam's abortion comments.^[22] Shortly after the news broke, Northam apologized for appearing in the photo^[23] Separately, a 1981 yearbook from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) listed "Coonman" as one of Northam's nicknames, interpreted as a racial slur.^[24] The following day, Northam held a press conference in which he reversed his stance and denied that he appeared in the 1984 photo, but did admit to having "darkened [his] face" with shoe polish as part of a Michael Jackson costume around the same time.^[25] Northam said only two people at VMI had referred to him as "Coonman", and that he regretted its inclusion in the yearbook.^[26] Reaction to the press conference was intensely negative and calls for Northam's resignation continued.^[27] The 1984 yearbook photo also brought renewed attention to a 2013 video clip in which Northam appeared unwilling to shake hands with his African-American opponent for lieutenant governor, E. W. Jackson, after a debate, though it was unclear whether Northam saw Jackson extending his hand.^[22]

Justin Fairfax

Fairfax was preparing for Northam to resign, even going so far as to notify family that as the next man in the line of succession he was about to replace Northam as governor,^[28] when Big League Politics reported on February 3 that Fairfax had been accused by Vanessa C. Tyson, an associate professor at Scripps College and fellow at Stanford University, of sexual assault at a hotel at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.^[29]^[30] Fairfax denied the accusation, saying his encounter with Tyson was consensual and the timing of the reports was intended to smear him as he was about to ascend to the governorship.^[31] Fairfax also insinuated that supporters of Northam, or someone connected with Richmond mayor Levar Stoney, a potential political rival since both were speculated as possible Democratic candidates for governor in 2021, may have been behind the allegation going public.^[32]^[35]^[33] A few days later, Tyson released a statement publicly detailing her allegations.^[34]^[35] Tyson said she is a Democrat with no political agenda and felt compelled to release the statement because Fairfax "has tried to brand me as a liar to a national audience, in service to his political ambitions, and has threatened litigation."^[36]

On February 8, a second woman, Meredith Watson, came forward with sexual assault allegations against Fairfax, alleging that he raped her^[37] in a "premeditated and aggressive" attack in 2000 when both were undergraduate students at Duke University.^[38] The second accusation led to a cascade of calls from fellow Democrats from Virginia and around the country for Fairfax to resign.^[39] Delegate Patrick Hope, a Democrat, said he would initiate impeachment proceedings against Fairfax if he did not resign within three days, but backed off the threat amid concerns from fellow Democrat state legislators.^[40]

Mark Herring

On February 6, Herring, who had already called on Northam to resign, issued a statement in which he admitted to wearing blackface himself as a 19-year-old University of Virginia student, saying he was trying to look like rapper Kurtis Blow at a party.^[41] The scandal added to the tumult that now engulfed the entire executive branch of Virginia's government.^[42] Herring's revelation led to a pause in the demands for resignation as Democrats and many Republicans were unsure of how to react to the expanding crisis.^[42]

Response and demands for resignations

Northam faced widespread calls for resignation, including from would-be 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Before facing scandals of their own, Herring issued a call for Northam to resign^[43] and Fairfax called for Northam to "do what was best for the state".^[44] But Democrats' response to the allegations against Fairfax and Herring's admission was more subdued, testing whether Democrats would apply the same zero-tolerance standards they applied in other previous cases.^[45]

After the first full week in February, Northam and Herring were both adamant in their refusal to resign, while Democratic Delegate Patrick Hope indicated he was initiating impeachment proceedings against Fairfax. This opened up the possibility that two white men accused of blackface would maintain their terms while an African American man would face impeachment and removal for unproven accusations.^[46] Given the optics of this situation, many leaders in Virginia softened their stances on resignation for any of the three statewide elected officials.^[47]

Line of succession

According to the Virginia Constitution, if the governor resigned, his lieutenant governor would replace him. If the lieutenant governor were unable to replace the governor, the attorney general would become governor. Speaker of the House Kirk Cox, a Republican, is fourth in the line of succession and would become governor if all three resigned or were removed.^[48] (Cox stated, "I have never been in blackface, unequivocal."^[49])

In the immediate aftermath of the Northam yearbook story, speculation was rampant that Northam would resign; Fairfax even began making preparations to become governor.^[28] Many Democrats were enthusiastic about the idea of Fairfax, who would be the state's second black governor, replacing Northam.^[50]^[51] But the allegations against Fairfax and Herring's revelation gave Northam breathing room and caused Democrats to pause to ponder their next steps.^[52] Democrats were "conscious that if all three executives had to step down at once," a Republican would become governor.^[42]

Virginia's Constitution has no clear provision for replacing the lieutenant governor if Fairfax were to resign, potentially leading to a political fight over how to replace him, but a catch-all clause in the constitution governing filling vacancies would give the governor power to appoint a new lieutenant governor to serve until a special election would be held during the November general election to choose someone to serve the remainder of the term, which ends in January 2022.^[53]^[49]

Other aspects

Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment, a Republican, was caught up in the scandal when it was reported that he was listed as managing editor of a 1968 Virginia Military Institute yearbook that featured racially charged language and photos of people in blackface.^[54] Norment does not appear in any of the photos and issued a statement saying he condemned the use of blackface^[54] and said his role was ensuring writers and photographers made their submissions on time and that he was "still culpable, but it is by association with a team that produced that yearbook with those photos".^[55] Norment pointed out that page 236 of the same yearbook shows he supported the racial integration of VMI in 1968, and led an effort to enroll women there in 1997.^[54]

References

1. ^[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/state-of-crisis-scandal-in-virginia-ralph-northam-justin-fairfax-mark-herring-watch-today-2019-02-11/ State of Crisis: Scandal in Virginia] (CBS)
2. ^[https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/06/democrats-virginia-northam-fairfax-1148291 ‘It’s a mess’: Race and gender fault lines in Virginia cripple Democrats] (Politico)
3. ^{{cite web |last1=Vozzella |first1=Laura |title=Virginia Republicans see chance to bounce back amid Democratic scandals |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-republicans-see-chance-to-bounce-back-amid-democratic-scandals/2019/03/22/70885cf4-4b2a-11e9-b79a-961983b7e0cd_story.html |website=The Washington Post |accessdate=26 March 2019 |language=en |date=23 March 2019}}
4. ^{{cite news |last1=Helber |first1=Steve |title=Blackface photo is a reminder of Virginia's racist history |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/blackface-photo-reminder-virginia-s-racist-history-n968751 |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=NBC News |publisher=Associated Press |date=February 7, 2019 |quote=RICHMOND, Va. — The discovery last week of a racist photo on Gov. Ralph Northam's 1984 medical school yearbook page has served as a glaring reminder that Virginia — a former bastion of slavery and white supremacy — continues to struggle with mindsets shaped by its turbulent racial history.}}
5. ^{{cite news |last1=Hobson |first1=Jeremy |title=These Virginians Say The State's Blackface Controversy Is Disappointing But Not Surprising |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/02/07/northam-blackface-virginia-history |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=WBUR |date=February 7, 2019 |quote=Ayers: "Well as people may know, Virginia has been led by Democratic governors and senators and recently presidential electors for a while, and people have thought that Virginia is seceding from the South in some ways, you know. … So there's been a kind of amnesia in Virginia that we've forgotten that we were the largest state for enslaved population and that we had this history of segregation and massive resistance.}}
6. ^{{cite news |last1=Geraghty |first1=Jim |title=The Virginia Blackface Scandal Is Only Getting Worse |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/the-virginia-blackface-scandal-is-only-getting-worse/ |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=National Review |date=February 7, 2019 |quote=There’s no getting around the fact that for a long, long stretch, the legal, political, and cultural treatment of African-Americans in Virginia was appalling: The legacy of slavery; from June 1861 to April 1865 Richmond was capital of the Confederacy; no African-Americans were elected to the Virginia General Assembly from 1890 to 1968; counties instituted poll taxes and literacy tests; Davis v. Prince Edward County was one of five school segregation lawsuits folded into the case that became Brown v. Board of Education; for four decades the state’s politics were shaped by vehement segregationist Harry F. Byrd Sr. and the Byrd Organization; the state saw “Massive Resistance” to school desegregation, including Prince Edward County’s decision to close all public schools for five years rather than desegregate!... Still, it wasn’t that long after Northam and Herring were wearing blackface that Doug Wilder was (narrowly) elected governor in 1989, becoming the first African-American governor in U.S. history.}}
7. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/us/virginia-governor-scandal.html|title=Virginia Political Crisis Grows for Democrats and Republicans|last=Blinder|first=Alan|date=February 7, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 10, 2019|last2=Martin|first2=Jonathan|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
8. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/02/07/timeline-how-virginia-political-crisis-exploded/2807904002/|title=Blackface, assault allegations: How Virginia's political crisis unfolded|website=USA Today|language=en|access-date=February 10, 2019}}
9. ^{{Cite news|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/crisis-management-101-how-virginias-three-top-dems-dug-themselves-deeper-holes/2019/02/07/dc7c4036-2b01-11e9-b2fc-721718903bfc_story.html|title=Crisis Management 101: How Virginia’s top three Democrats dug themselves deeper holes|last=Schwartzman|first=Paul|date=February 7, 2019|work=The Washington Post|access-date=}}
10. ^{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2019/02/07/democrats-speechless-scandal-engulfs-virginia-leaders/3qNbFrYrmmxltghnF5FxxM/story.html|title=Political crisis in Virginia spreads to both parties - The Boston Globe|website=BostonGlobe.com|access-date=February 10, 2019}}
11. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/09/us/politics/justin-fairfax-virginia-impeachment.html|title=Justin Fairfax Puts Virginia Democrats in Bind on Impeachment|last=Martin|first=Jonathan|date=February 9, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 10, 2019|last2=Blinder|first2=Alan|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Robertson|first3=Campbell}}
12. ^{{Cite web|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/racial-gerrymander-defender-next-in-line-if-va-dems-go-2|title=Racial Gerrymander Defender Next in Line if Va. Dems Go (2)|last=Robinson|first=Kimberly Strawbridge|website=news.bloomberglaw.com|language=en|access-date=February 10, 2019}}
13. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/failed-abortion-bill-draws-gop-outrage-against-va-gov-northam-democratic-lawmakers/2019/01/30/4a18f022-24b2-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?utm_term=.df4aad7b0f53|author1=Gregory S. Schneider|author2=Laura Vozzella|title=Abortion bill draws GOP outrage against Va. Gov. Northam, Democratic legislators|work=Washington Post|date=January 30, 2019|accessdate=January 31, 2019}}
14. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-late-term-abortion-debate-erupts-over-viral-video/2019/01/30/03aceaf6-24b9-11e9-b5b4-1d18dfb7b084_story.html?utm_term=.94ebcec6b6b7|author=Alan Suderman|title=Virginia abortion feud erupts; governor blasted for comments|work=Associated Press|publisher=Washington Post|date=January 30, 2019|accessdate=January 31, 2019}}
15. ^Vespa, Matt. [https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2019/02/01/its-him-va-dem-gov-northam-apologizes-for-being-in-racist-costume-in-med-school-n2540699 "It's Him: VA Gov Northam Apologizes For Racist Costume In Med School Yearbook Photo"], Townhall, February 1, 2019.
16. ^Pappas, Alex. [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ralph-northams-medical-school-yearbook-page-shows-men-dressed-in-blackface-kkk-robe "Ralph Northam apologizes for medical school yearbook photo with blackface, KKK robe"], Fox News, February 2, 2019.
17. ^Gabriel, Trip, and Michael M. Grynbaum. [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/04/us/politics/northam-fairfax-big-league-politics.html?module=inline "With Northam Picture, Obscure Publication Plays Big Role in Virginia Politics"], The New York Times, February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
18. ^{{cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |title=A tip from a ‘concerned citizen’ helps a reporter land the scoop of a lifetime|url-access=subscription |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-tip-from-a-concerned-citizen-helps-a-reporter-land-the-scoop-of-a-lifetime/2019/02/03/e30762ea-2765-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=February 3, 2019 |date=February 3, 2019 |deadurl=no}}
19. ^{{cite news|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-gov-northams-medical-school-yearbook-page-shows-men-in-blackface-kkk-robe/2019/02/01/517a43ee-265f-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html|title=Gov. Ralph Northam 'deeply sorry' after photo emerges from his 1984 yearbook showing blackface, KKK hood|last1=Vozzella|first1=Laura|last2=Morrison|first2=Jim|last3=Schneider|first3=Gregory S.|date=February 1, 2019|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=February 1, 2019}}
20. ^{{cite news|url=https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_67fdd682-2662-11e9-a7d1-c7ed70e09b50.html|title=Ralph Northam yearbook page shows men in blackface and KKK robe|date=February 1, 2019|work=Virginian-Pilot|accessdate=February 1, 2019}}
21. ^{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/01/politics/northam-blackface-photo/index.html|title=Virginia governor's yearbook page shows 2 people in blackface, KKK garb|last=Kelly|first=Caroline|date=February 1, 2019|publisher=CNN|accessdate=February 1, 2019}}
22. ^¹{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-tip-from-a-concerned-citizen-helps-a-reporter-land-the-scoop-of-a-lifetime/2019/02/03/e30762ea-2765-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html|title=A tip from a 'concerned citizen' helps a reporter land the scoop of a lifetime about Northam|work=The Washington Post|first1=Paul|last1=Farhi|access-date=2019-02-14|date=2019-02-03}}
23. ^¹[https://wtop.com/virginia/2019/02/virginia-governors-1984-yearbook-page-shows-racist-imagery/ Virginia governor confirms 1984 yearbook page with racist imagery] (Associated Press)
24. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ralph-northam-virginia-governor-news-conference-today-live-stream-mounting-calls-to-resign-yearbook-photo-live-updates-2019-02-02/|title=Virginia governor says he was not in racist yearbook photo|last=Segers|first=Grace|date=February 2, 2019|work=CBS News|access-date=February 2, 2019|language=en-US}}
25. ^{{cite web |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |title=Northam refuses to resign but says he once did Michael Jackson blackface |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/02/ralph-northam-yearbook-photo-racist-1144276 |website=Politico |publisher=Politico |accessdate=February 2, 2019 |ref=politico_blackface_jackson}}
26. ^{{cite news |last1=Caputo |first1=Marc |title=6 moments of weirdness with Ralph Northam |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/02/ralph-northam-yearbook-1144281 |work=Politico |date=February 2, 2019 |language=en}}
27. ^{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/this-isnt-me-gov-northams-defiance-caught-advisers-off-guard/2019/02/05/62e97b14-296f-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html|author1=Gregory S. Schneider|author2=Laura Vozzella|title='This isn't me': Gov. Northam's defiance caught advisers off guard|work=The Washington Post|date=February 5, 2019|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}
28. ^¹[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/justin-fairfax-was-preparing-to-be-governor-then-northam-said-he-was-staying-put/2019/02/02/15c56c7c-2739-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html Fairfax was preparing to be Va. governor. Then Northam said he was staying put.] (Washington Post)
29. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47124195 |title=Virginia governor's deputy Justin Fairfax denies assault claims |publisher=BBC |date=February 4, 2019 |accessdate=February 9, 2019}}
30. ^{{cite web|last=Vargas |first=Theresa|url-access=subscription |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-denies-sex-assault-allegation-from-2004/2019/02/04/05fb0f6c-272b-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html |title=Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax denies sex assault allegation from 2004 |publisher=Washingtonpost.com |date= |accessdate=February 9, 2019}}
31. ^{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Jonathan|date=February 4, 2019|title=Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of Virginia Denounces Sexual Assault Allegation as a 'Smear'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/04/us/politics/justin-fairfax-sexual-assault.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 8, 2019}}
32. ^{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/on-the-brink-of-historic-gains-virginia-democrats-now-awash-in-scandal/2019/02/06/11131e5c-2a1a-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html?utm_term=.dd9ac9138139|author=Paul Schwartzman|title=On the brink of historic gains, Virginia Democrats now awash in scandal|work=The Washington Post|date=February 6, 2019|accessdate=February 6, 2019}}
33. ^{{cite web|author=Dean Mirshahi |url=https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/sources-lt-gov-fairfax-hangs-up-on-mayor-stoney-during-call-meant-to-clear-the-air-/1758349295 |title=Sources: Lt. Gov. Fairfax hangs up on Mayor Stoney during call meant to 'clear the air' |publisher=Wric.com |date= |accessdate=February 9, 2019}}
34. ^{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/vanessa-tyson%27s-statement/cead9a33-ce09-4f11-a1c2-aa4f95a648e0_note.html |title=Vanessa Tyson's statement |publisher=Washingtonpost.com |date= |accessdate=February 9, 2019}}
35. ^¹{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/2019/02/06/daed33aa-2a30-11e9-b2fc-721718903bfc_story.html |title=Professor who accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of 2004 sexual assault issues statement detailing alleged incident |publisher=Washingtonpost.com |date=2019-02-06 |accessdate=February 9, 2019|first1=Samantha|last1=Schmidt|first2=Fenit|last2=Nirappil|first3=Laura|last3=Vozzella}}
36. ^{{cite web|last=Segers |first=Grace |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vanessa-tyson-describes-alleged-sexual-assault-by-virginia-lt-gov-justin-fairfax/ |title=Woman describes alleged sexual assault by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax |publisher=Cbsnews.com |date= |accessdate=February 9, 2019}}
37. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/08/second-woman-accuses-virginia-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-of-sexual-assault.html|title=Second woman accuses Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault|last=Breuninger|first=Kevin|date=February 8, 2019|website=www.cnbc.com|access-date=February 8, 2019}}
38. ^{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/second-woman-accuses-va-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-of-sexual-assault/2019/02/08/19e6bb6c-2bdf-11e9-b011-d8500644dc98_story.html |title=Second woman accuses Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault |publisher=Washingtonpost.com |date= |accessdate=February 9, 2019}}
39. ^[https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/08/politics/dems-justin-fairfax-resign/index.html Key supporters tell Justin Fairfax to step down after 2nd sexual assault allegation] (CNN)
40. ^[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-democrats-weigh-impeachment-of-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-over-sexual-assault-allegations/2019/02/10/b8933a48-2d64-11e9-8ad3-9a5b113ecd3c_story.html Va. Democrat backs off plan for impeachment proceedings against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax] (Washington Post)
41. ^[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/virginia-attorney-general-mark-herring-admits-to-dressing-in-blackface-as-a-student/ Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring admits to dressing in blackface as a student] (CBS)
42. ^¹²{{cite web|url-access=subscription|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-atty-gen-herring-appears-in-blackface-in-photo-from-college-days/2019/02/06/9aa4aff8-2a26-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html|title=Virginia's three leaders engulfed in turmoil, with Herring disclosure from college days|first1=Gregory S.|last1=Schneider|first2=Laura|last2=Vozzella|date=2019-02-06|access-date=2019-02-14|work=The Washington Post}}
43. ^{{cite news |last1=WRIC |title=Attorney General Mark Herring calls for Northam to resign |url=https://www.virginiafirst.com/news/local-news/attorney-general-mark-herring-calls-for-northam-to-resign/1748351374 |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=WRIC news (ABC) Richmond |publisher=Nexstar Media group |date=February 2, 2019 |quote=RICHMOND, Va. - Attorney General Mark Herring says Governor Northam can no longer effectively lead the Commonwealth and should step down. In a statement Herring said he would support Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax should he become Governor.}}
44. ^{{cite news |last1=Bowden |first1=John |title=Ocasio-Cortez: Northam should resign, his defenders 'deserve scrutiny' |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/428221-ocasio-cortez-northam-should-resign-his-defenders-deserve |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=The Hill |date=February 2, 2019 |quote=His lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, called on Northam to do what was best for the state in a statement Saturday night, while coming short of asking for his resignation.}}
45. ^[https://www.wric.com/virginia-politics/democrats-mute-calls-for-va-resignations-with-power-at-risk-1/1761626491 Democrats mute calls for Va. resignations with power at risk] (AP)
46. ^{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Campbell |last2=Blinder |first2=Alan |last3=Martin |first3=Jonathan |title=Justin Fairfax Puts Virginia Democrats in Bind on Impeachment |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/09/us/politics/justin-fairfax-virginia-impeachment.html |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=New York Times |date=February 9, 2019 |quote=RICHMOND, Va. — Justin E. Fairfax’s refusal to resign as lieutenant governor of Virginia in the face of two allegations of sexual assault has presented Democrats with an excruciating choice: whether to impeach an African-American leader at a moment when the state’s other two top leaders, both white, are resisting calls to quit after admitting to racist conduct.}}
47. ^{{cite news |last1=Finley |first1=Ben |last2=Suderman |first2=Alan |title=Clamor for ouster of top Democrats slows in Virginia |url=https://apnews.com/4a035c79a7124d22829c6c687cf99979 |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=Associated Press |date=February 11, 2019 |quote= RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The clamor for the resignation of Virginia’s top two politicians eased on Monday, with some black community leaders forgiving Gov. Ralph Northam over the blackface furor and calling for a fair hearing for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax on the sexual assault allegations against him. Over the past several days, practically the entire Democratic establishment rose up to demand fellow Democrats Northam and Fairfax step down. But the tone changed markedly after the weekend.}}
48. ^[https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia/articles/2019-02-13/virginia-democrats-scandals-puts-spotlight-on-gop-speaker Virginia Democrats' Scandals Puts Spotlight on GOP Speaker] (US News & World Report)
49. ^¹[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/09/us/politics/line-of-succession-virginia.html If Justin Fairfax Is Forced Out in Virginia, Who’s Next in Line?] (New York Times)
50. ^[https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/07/politics/justin-fairfax-sexual-assault-resignation/index.html Why didn't Democrats immediately call on Justin Fairfax to resign?] (CNN)
51. ^{{cite news |last1=Barakat |first1=Matthew |title=Virginia scandal could push newcomer into governor's office |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-bc-us--virginia-lieutenant-governor-20190204-story.html |accessdate=February 11, 2019 |agency=Chicago Tribune |publisher=Associated Press |date=February 6, 2019 |quote=If Northam stepped down, Justin Fairfax would be the second African-American governor in Virginia's history and just the fourth in the entire United States since Reconstruction.}}
52. ^[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-gov-northam-reaches-out-to-lt-gov-fairfax-and-ag-herring-other-men-at-the-center-of-scandal/2019/02/07/2f294342-2b02-11e9-b011-d8500644dc98_story.html Virginia Gov. Northam, isolated, gets space to ponder his fate as Democrats absorb scandals]
53. ^[https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/12/justin-fairfax-virginia-1166298 Second woman who accused Fairfax of assault was subject of 2008 restraining order] (Politico)
54. ^¹²[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/top-va-senator-tommy-norment-swept-state-blackface-scandal-n969021 Top Republican Virginia Sen. Norment caught up in blackface scandal] (NBC News)
55. ^[https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_d4ce7700-2ae3-11e9-ace9-ff7814740140.html Virginia Sen. Tommy Norment was an editor for VMI yearbook filled with racist photos and slurs] (Virginian-Pilot)