Virginia lt. gov accuser says she has no political agenda despite "smear campaign" defense

[alp227]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

When Christine Blasey Ford brought forward sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, Republican critics insisted it was a political attack designed to destroy a conservative judge on the cusp of joining the Supreme Court.

But Democrats are torn this week about Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s “smear campaign” defense after another professor in Palo Alto came forward with sexual assault claims about a fellow Democrat in line for a possible high-profile promotion.

That professor, Stanford fellow Vanessa Tyson, released her first public statement Wednesday, insisting her allegations against Fairfax are true and she has no political agenda.

“I’m a proud Democrat,” she wrote in a statement released by her lawyers. “My only motive in speaking now is to refute Mr. Fairfax’s falsehoods and aspersions of my character, and to provide what I believe is important information for Virginians to have as they make critical decisions that involve Mr. Fairfax.”

Read more: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/02/06/smear-campaign-defense-not-sticking-in-virginia-sex-assault-political-scandal/

[keithbvadu2]

1. Check the police report she filed at the time.

Check the police report she filed at the time.

[madville]

2. A large majority of victims of sexual assault don't report it

I believe the number is around 75-80% of incidents are never reported to police.

[erpowers]

3. Are You Being Scarcastic?

As far as I know she did not file a police report. According to her statement, she did not tell anyone of the event until 2017, when she learned Justin Fairfax was running for Lt. Gov of Virginia.

[keithbvadu2]

7. Sarcastic? Tis possible

Think of Kav's accuser and how republicans treated her credibility.

[jcgoldie]

9. And so we should model our behavior after theirs?

Really?

[keithbvadu2]

10. Oh, of course not! Just let them win. Don't hold them accountable.

(More sarcasm if not detected)

[Dawson Leery]

4. Certainly.

Even if the police did nothing, her report would have shown she is serious.
Clearly she is not.

[58Sunliner]

12. How about you be a rape survivor and then you can tell us all about it.

[JudyM]

14. WTH?! Clearly you are not informed about sex crime reporting facts.

[lark]

16. What???

The vast majority of rape victims never go to police, for many reasons. Some are so devastated, they just couldn't handle the 2nd assault on their dignity and character without totally losing it. Some know the perp and don't go because they're family or friends and at least one of their parents support the perp and not the child and tell them it's their own fault or don't believe them. Some are threatened and in fear of their lives.

There is nothing at all clear in this case, she has no Leeann Tweeden "tells" at all. I don't want her to be right, not one little bit, but....

[Ligyron]

5. "Franken was out of there in days -- that shows how serious Democrats are in cleaning their house,"

There it is: the new standard and, of course, it only applies to Democrats.

Doing a fine job of cleaning themselves right out of the legislature.

[Dawson Leery]

6. +1,000,000

If Kavanaugh is allowed a lifetime appointment, then Fairfax can have 3 more years as an elected official.

[dalton99a]

8. +1. It's time to level the playing field.

[idahoblue]

11. Zero tolerance is bullshit

It is a tool for the republicans to use to get rid of Democrats. We need to be like the cons.

They ask Jesus for forgiveness, claim god talked to them, the repigs rally around and they go on as if nothing happened. And that is not even about past sins, these guys are committing current evil and are re-elect or promoted.

I do think we should require an apology, a request for forgiveness. If they are currently doing a good job, then move forward. We cannot allow the repigs to purge every progressive person. That is what they will do. Everyone has a past, most of us would not want to be judged by our 25 year old selves for the rest of our lives.

[dalton99a]

15. +1. Perfectly reasonable.

[greyl]

13. What does she mean by "aspersions of my character"? nt

[ripcord]

17. Seems we only support accusers who agree with us politically

[Blue_Tires]

18. She didn't say "NO" in her official statement

and she also said that her official statement would be her only comment on the night in question.

Barring some kind of evidence or some other women coming forward with similar accusations, her case is really thin...