Posted on 02/08/2019 6:19:15 AM PST by billorites
RICHMOND, Va.A top Republican Virginia lawmaker was forced to defend his role editing a college yearbook with photographs of students in blackface, as the states political crisis spread to both parties Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment served as managing editor of the 1968 yearbook at Virginia Military Institute that included the blackface photos and racial slurs.
Gov. Ralph Northam, Democrat, faces calls to step down following the emergence last week of a photo from his medical-school yearbook that showed a person in blackface and another in Ku Klux Klan garb. Mr. Northam said he wasnt in the picture, after first saying he was.
Attorney General Mark Herring, also a Democrat, disclosed Wednesday that he was in blackface while dressed a rapper as a college freshman in 1980. Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is denying an allegation he sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel room during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Richmond has been plunged into chaos without a clear sense of how the leadership crisis will shake out. In the event all three top Democrats left office, the next person in succession for the governorship would be the speaker of the states House of Delegates, who is Kirk Cox, a Republican.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said at a press conference Saturday that he wasn't either of the people depicted in racist attire in a picture from his 1984 medical school yearbook. Photo: AP
Mr. Norment, the top Republican in the GOP-led Senate, said in a statement that he wasnt in any of the photos and didnt take any of the photos, but that he wasnt surprised that those wanting to engulf Republican leaders in the current situation would highlight his yearbook. The disclosure was first reported by the Virginian-Pilot.
The use of blackface is abhorrent in our society and I emphatically condemn it, Mr. Norment, who added that he was intent on staying in his role to pass a fiscally responsible budget.
Delegate Lamont Bagby, a Democrat and chairman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, said Thursday the caucus was working through the revelations. He said the black caucus would release a statement sometime Thursday but didnt know when. Every time we get ready to put a statement out, something else happens, he said.
He said the group also would like more information about the allegations against Mr. Fairfax. We are anxious to see what an investigation gives us, he told reporters at the Virginia state house.
Asked about Mr. Herrings recent disclosure that he wore blackface as a 19-year-old college student, Mr. Bagby said, Were working through that as well.
Rep. Donald McEachin (D., Va.), said the states congressional delegation planned to issue a statement of support for Mr. Herring. Mr. McEachin, who is black, said there was a qualitative difference between Mr. Northam and Mr. Herrings situation.
I had the occasion to speak to him, obviously it was by telephone, but he sounded like he was on the verge of tears, he said of Mr. Herring. I believe that he was sincere in his apology.
He said how Mr. Northam handled the situation suggests he does not have the capacity to lead or the capacity to heal us.
Meanwhile, lawmakers have been working on a revised two-year budget and grappling with reconciling federal and state tax codes due to the 2017 federal tax overhaul law.
Aubrey Layne, Virginias finance secretary and a member of Mr. Northams cabinet, said he has been assuring debt-ratings firms that the state is getting its budget work done despite the political storm roiling Richmond.
Its a short cycle, Mr. Layne said in an interview. And weve got a lot of work to do. The legislature has until Feb. 23 to finish its work.
A Republican, Mr. Layne says he tries to maintain a nonpartisan profile in his job, which involves working with Virginias divided government. He has also been meeting with the governor.
Regarding the political turmoil, I think the sooner we can deal with this uncertainty the better, he said.
You mean “It’s OK for someone else to kill your kids”.
Hey, they have to take what they can get.
Welcome to the America the left is creating.
Two systems of justice/standards.
In this case not a single, uno, one Democrat will be forced to resign for wearing blackface or allegations of sexual assault. Oh no, it will be their apologies are sincere and she is a lying slut who was asking for it.
They will skate.
BUT!!! What will survive this is the incessant charges against the Republican for something he didnt do himself but he somehow, someway tangentially touched it.
The Republican will be hounded out of office.
It is akin to this: Dem driving drunk kills family but has apologized. Republicans who worked at plant where car was made and booze distilled forced to resign.
Ralph Coonman is lying his ratass off. How do you get a nickname like Coonman?
Show up at a costume party wearing blackface, maybe?
NAAWWWWWWWWW.never happen. His mind is Jello, can’t recall...
Today we have videotape for those in their 30s-40s. In the future, we will have social media. Only those whose lives have been curated from birth will be fit to run for office.
On another note. Kamela Harris was talking about how offensive and hurtful it is. Huh? Let alone not being the descendent of slaves, her parents weren't even US citizens when she was born. How does she get to speak about the issue?
Recommended statement for Norwent:
“A yearbook illustrates student life as it really was at a given point in time, not to censor reality. We all know that FIFTY YEARS ago, racism was on display. If you blame a 1968 yearbook for depicting reality, do you also blame the camera for the blackface picture of Governor Northam with his Klan friend?”
Not long now and they will want to test for racially correct ancestry and start issuing catds
No worries, as a member of the Stupid Party, he’ll dutifully resign no questions asked.
I’m sure Mitt Romney will be pulling out all the stops in helping him make this decision.
We had elementary school yearbooks in the 1960s
I pity the Foo that might have gotten caught in a snapshot biting his PopTart to the shape of a gun, or a watermelon...
I’ve lived in The South all my life, grew up in MISSISSIPPI, and never saw anybody dress up in blackface, for Halloween or otherwise....................
You mean like Senator Byrd....a 10 year member and Leader of the KKK?
A non-event that happened fifty years ago.
They are truly desperate.
I think the Clintonista insiders are trying to damage Herring and Northam for the future. They want their puppet Stoney or Fairfax as the next governor. After the damage to those 2 then any allegations against Fairfax will be dropped. Hope that not true. we ‘ll see. Why haven’t charges been brought against Fairfax ?
I'm confused by this statement because as a Virginia resident I'm beginning to feel pretty damn healed. :-)
..I’m not defending democrats here and I’m rolling on the floor that they are having problems in Virginia. Hooray!!!
That said, nothing is more illustrative of what’s wrong in the political world in the US in the 21st century than this “black face” comedy.
That our MSM and ALT MEDIA even discuss what drinking College “boys” did decades earlier at a FRAT party SERIOUSLY should be an insult to every thinking person on the North American Continent.
Still waiting for Obama’s yearbooks.
It’s come out in NC too. They were doing the same thing at Unc.
“How do you get a nickname like Coonman?”
At that age it makes me think he had a thing for black chicks.
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