Posted on 02/02/2019 6:51:40 PM PST by Kaslin
While we wait for today’s anticipated press conference from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, you might want to call up your bookie and place some bets on what the next act of this drama will entail. Ed was updating Northam’s apologies and refusal to resign well into the evening last night, but nothing definitive has been forthcoming thus far.
Is the press conference destined to be the moment when the governor resigns, or could he drag this out a bit longer? There are “inside sources close to the governor” signaling that he will bow out. Others, such as James Woods, think he might hang on for a few more days.
He’ll be gone by Wednesday. https://t.co/qQC3gw3uAu
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) February 2, 2019
Philip Bump had a rundown of what’s coming next at the WaPo last night. He’s probably got the right sense of this political implosion, covering different possible scenarios. One is that Northam just resigns, either today or in the very near future. The other two are that he refuses to go and the legislature impeaches him or he survives through sheer inertia and goes on to finish his term. But the smart money seems to indicate we should get ready for Governor Justin Fairfax. And because of a loophole in the state constitution, he could wind up serving the better part of two terms.
Again, though, it is early, and politicians often shy away from resignation in their initial responses to scandal. If he does resign, the next step is simple: Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax becomes governor.
This, in itself, is interesting. Two weeks ago, The Washington Post reported that Fairfax, who is black, stepped away from his duties presiding over the state Senate briefly while the legislative body took a ceremonial action honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Fairfax’s assuming Northam’s position would be interesting, too, because of a loophole in the constitution. Two experts on the state’s governing document who spoke with The Post by email confirmed that if Fairfax were to replace Northam following the latter’s resignation, he would be eligible to run for reelection to the governor’s mansion at the end of Northam’s term — bucking the one-term rule that normally binds the state executive.
Of the three possibilities that Bump lays out, I’d put them in the following order:
1. Northam resigns today.
2. He survives this and finishes his term.
3. Impeachment.
Northam can’t just spend the rest of his tenure hiding in a bunker. He has to do public appearances on a regular basis and he probably knows he’ll be the target of regular protests every time that happens. If the pressure was only coming from Republicans he might have tried to stick it out and see if the outrage would eventually die down, but he’s under fire from Democrats across the country. It’s probably not a tenable situation.
With that said, if he’s really determined to stick it out, he probably knows that an impeachment bid might not succeed. After all, he hasn’t technically broken any laws. Are there really enough votes to impeach him over a yearbook photo? Keep in mind that Mark Sanford was under fire and being threatened with impeachment after his little excursion hiking the Appalachian Trail. He wound up only getting censured and finishing his term.
Bottom line, I’d put it at about 60/40 that he resigns today. But if he doesn’t, I’ll go out on a limb here and say that he finishes the term
I will say he finishes his term, and if he has any sense he will mock the press.
He is a DEMOCRAT.....NOTHING will happen to hi ....they are ALL RACISTS!!
All he has to do is last a week...then the President will say something to trigger the SJWs and Gov. Northam becomes another footnote.
He sells his medical practice and fades away off into the sunset.
Karma hit this guy almost like he was a newborn infant waiting to be aborted.
He wpi;d be stupid to quit.This will all go away after a not very long time. That said, I hope he quits.
Next? He will burn in eternal hell. Gov Mengele II deserves nothing less.
While he should indeed be cast from office as Governor, I am more concerned that his licence to practice medicine must be revoked. If he’s willing to negotiate over the disposition of a live-born infant, and to consign that guiltless person to execution for the convenience of others, he is so far outside the bounds of his Hippocratic Oath that he must be stripped of his authority to practice medicine.
First, do no harm!
Black History Month...Lieutenant governor is black.
Do I need to go further?
Personally, I hope Northam hangs in there; since 7 years of Lt Gov Fairfax as our new governor is not something I look forward to!!!
One thing’s for sure; whoever got paid to do the Oppo Research for Ed Gillespie has to be the most incompetent SOB on planet Earth! On second thought, maybe he’s the second most incompetent SOB; since Gillespie actually paid him.
He cuts out his tongue.....keep talking moron, your gator mouth
is writing a check your rat azz can’t
cash
...What’s next for Northam...
He should be gone by Monday. The Texas Secretary of State just resigned last week for the same stunt he did 15 years ago.
Managing an all night bowling alley.
CC
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This is like their how their outrage at Franken was related to the fact a Democrat governor would pick his replacement.
He stays as long as possible until he gets his payoff to get off the stage.
He won’t work in politics or medicine again do he needs this paycheck.
Ask Robert Byrd. Well, OK, not possible.
So now he says he did wear blackface on a different occasion, while impersonating Michael Jackson, but that’s not still him in the photo.
You can’t make this bleep up!!!!!!
Talk is they’ll try to impeach him if he doesn’t quit. Not an impeachable offense according to the VA constitution but it’s unlikely the courts would prevent it. I’d advise VA GOP legislators not to go along with that.
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