Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Months after two women accused Virginia’s Lt. Governor of sexual assault, a conservative, non-partisan educational foundation is suing to get documents related to the allegations.
Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act Request to get documents related to Justin Fairfax’s handling of the assault allegations made against him. Dr. Vanessa Tyson alleges Fairfax sexually assaulted her at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Meredith Watson accused Fairfax of raping her in a fraternity house while the two were students at Duke University in 2000.
“Rather than giving us answers they told us any records they have were quote ‘working papers’ or ‘personnel records’ exempt from disclosure, so we had to go ahead and sue ,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
This is the latest in a tough year for Virginia’s top Democrats. Gov. Ralph Northam drew national condemnation in February after he admitted he was one of the people in a racist photo in the 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook. Days later, two women accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting them. He called the allegations unsubstantiated and false. Both men refused to step down from their posts, but the scandals continue to raise questions about their abilities to lead.
Fitton said exemptions are typically used to protect the privacy of employees. Julia Billingsly resigned as Fairfax’s policy director following the allegations.
“I suspect they’re gonna suggest that whatever lead to her resignation would be exempt from disclosure, and that it’s her privacy that’s being protected as opposed to his,” Fitton said.
Fitton expects the lawsuit to be litigated over the next several months.
WMAL reached out to Fairfax’s office for comment but never heard back.
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