ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A broadcaster sued by Virginia’s lieutenant governor after airing interviews from two women accusing him of sexual assault says his defamation lawsuit is an attempt to silence his accusers.

CBS asked a federal judge in Alexandria to toss out a lawsuit filed by Justin Fairfax.

CBS says in court papers filed Friday it accurately reported the accusations against Fairfax by Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson.

Fairfax, a Democrat, accused CBS News of reporting the allegations to fit a preconceived narrative that implied his guilt.

Fairfax’s spokeswoman said Monday that CBS’ legal defense conspicuously fails to defend the women’s accusations as true.

The accusations about events more than a decade old surfaced when Fairfax appeared poised to succeed Gov. Ralph Northam, who faced calls to resign over a racist yearbook photo.

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