So how can accusations against politicians be adjudicated

[dsc]

I have no idea if Justin Fairfax assaulted the person who is accusing him or not. She says he did, he says he didn't, and there is literally no evidence to collaborate her version of events. I take it she told no one prior to going to the Washington Post since they stated they found no one she had told. What level of evidence should it take to overturn the results of an election? He was elected in close to a landslide in 2017. The people of VA clearly decided they wanted him. Can we really say to them, some woman who they don't know, who never told anyone this for 13 years, who only came forward after he won, gets to say to millions of VA citizens, you don't get to have him as your Lt Gov because I say so now? Is that how democracies work now? You get to vote but if some one some where says he attacked me years ago, I have no proof but I say so, so I get to veto your choice. I will admit, that makes me profoundly uncomfortable. I think at the very least, she should be made to come forward, go under oath, be cross examined by his attorney, and he should do the same. Elections should matter. If they can be overturned by Facebook posts, they don't.

[treestar]

1. Right wing said that about Kav too

They ranted on that there was "no proof." We believe it or not depending on what side we are on. I guess we have a some reason to believe family values types are talking too loud about it and are not so well behaved as they claim, whereas we don't claim to be saints in that area.

[dsc]

2. She did tell other people

she did come forward, she did testify under oath, and unlike him wasn't caught in repeated lies.

[treestar]

3. I believed her

Especially when he testified, with his demeanor.

It is tough to be objective though. There is some level where I want Kav to be found guilty and the Lt. Gov. to be found not guilty.

[dsc]

5. I wouldn't have voted to convict Kavenaugh (of rape at least) perjury is another matter

after the hearings but I sure wasn't going to hire him (for SCOTUS) and would have fired him (from the court he was on). Look, after a hearing I might end up believing her and not Fairfax but I don't think a Facebook post is enough to overturn an election.

[peggysue2]

9. You're right, dsc

I don't think a Facebook post is enough to overturn an election.

Nor should it be. Ever. An allegation is just that, an allegation. It isn't fact. It isn't proven. It's a one-sided story.

Unless the two parties give testimony under oath, there's no way to judge the veracity of the dueling stories. And even then it's tough because this encounter occurred behind closed doors. With the Kavanaugh case we had more to go on--the diary/calendar for a timeline, the fact that Dr Ford had told several confidants, the fact that Kavanaugh had a drinking problem, etc. But in the end it came down to Dr. Ford's compelling testimony vs Kavanaugh's weird spiel and inconsistent answers. His over-the-top demeanor was totally off from what one would expect of a Supreme Court Justice.

I'm guessing more details will be exposed in the Fairfax story since the woman involved has acquired legal representation. Justin Fairfax has flatly denied the charge. Now it's up to the young woman to provide something to tip the 50/50 scale. She may be able to do that. Or not.

But until then, Justin Fairfax deserves to be supported by his party and welcomed into the Governor's Mansion when Northam exits. He won his election fair and square and is still next in line.

[lark]

4. So you're OK with Kavarape being on the SCOTUS?

Drumpf was elected, so it's ok for him to appoint a rapist (wrongly) cleared by the FBI in a total jt job on the truth? How do you know Fairfax's accuser never told anyone, just because it hasn't been published?

Bad times, folks, these are just bad times. Franken's accuser was totally a rwv hit job coordinated and paid for by Stone, that was obvious within a day-2 based on numerous in person witnesses and based on her getting paid $100,000 by Stone right before this came out. This one is not clear at all, the woman is not a rw spokes-model working for Hannity in the past.

[dsc]

6. ah no

I think after the hearing Kavenaugh showed himself to be a certain liar, and a probable rapist (I wouldn't have voted to convict him based only on that hearing but I surely wouldn't have hired him and would have fired him). We have no earthly idea what this woman has been up to. I know she didn't tell anyone because the Washington Post literally wrote the words "we found no one she had said this to".

[BlueStater]

7. This woman deserves to be heard.

I'm not going to be a total asshole like Trump supporters are and call this woman a liar just because she's accusing someone who happens to be a member of my party.

[NotAPuppet]

8. Let's hear what the woman has to say.

I don’t know if she’s a victim, and I don’t know what happened in that room. Things are not always black and white, and while most accusers are truthful, a few are not. I’m not passing any judgement until more facts are known. And I don’t think that Fairfax should resign at this time.

It’s interesting that the 2 issues that are major talking points for Democrats, race and sexual assault, are being brought to the forefront now in VA within a matter of days. I don’t trust Republicans and both controversies will benefit them. If Fairfax and Northam are forced out, they will find something on Herring. Again, I don’t trust Republicans, and I don’t want them to take over in VA.

There’s no comparison to the Kavanaugh accusations, since we got enough insight from people who witnessed his drunken behavior in college. Another woman came forward and described an encounter with BK. Ford was a credible witness under oath and Kavanaugh was not.

I will wait for more information to come out.