DFA: “Virginians Need to Clean House,” calls for resignation of Fairfax, Northam, Herring
Following the last week of shocking news in Richmond, VA, including the latest allegations of sexual assault levied against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Democracy for America (DFA) is urging Virginia Democrats to push for the replacement of the state's entire executive leadership team without undoing the elections of 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Full Statement from DFA's Chief Executive Officer Yvette Simpson:
"Virginians need to clean house. Gov. Ralph Northam, Attorney General Mark Herring, and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax need to go, and each needs to be replaced with Democrats who Commonwealth voters can be confident have lived their shared progressive values.
"Let's be clear: Sexual assault and racism have no place in our politics, government, or anywhere.
Last week, following the public confirmation of his appearance in a racist yearbook photo, we called on Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to resign and, when Attorney General Mark Herring shared that he had also worn in blackface, we felt it was clear that he needed to go as well.
After hearing the horrifying revelations about his past actions, we're calling on Lt. Gov. Fairfax to resign too, despite having once been of his most ardent, early supporters.
The one silver lining of the last week's very dark cloud is that the Commonwealth is blessed with a deep and diverse Democratic bench of Black, brown, and LGBTQ women and men capable of leading the Virginia that has rejected the Party of Trump repeatedly over the last three elections.
"We urge the leadership of the Democratic Party of Virginia to identify the individuals best suited to fill these needed vacancies on Virginia's executive leadership team, and organize a swift transition of power that ensures that the will of Commonwealth voters is not undone by these necessary resignations." – Yvette Simpson, CEO, Democracy for America