Virginia sex assault allegations are the latest against state officials

Virginia’s lieutenant governor has denied newly publicized allegations that he sexually assaulted two women years ago and has vowed to continue serving in office. It’s a scenario that already has played out in several other states, with differing conclusions.

At least six other statewide elected officials have faced allegations of sexual misconduct since 2017. Several initially resisted calls to step down before eventually doing so under the pressure of public scrutiny and ongoing investigations. At least one other accused official remains in office.

Nationwide, at least 90 state lawmakers also have resigned or been ousted, faced discipline or other repercussions, or been publicly accused of sexual misconduct since the beginning of 2017. Many of those allegations were brought to light as part of the #MeToo movement that gained steam after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a Democrat, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman while they were students at Duke University in 2000 and forcing another woman to perform a sex act at a Boston hotel in 2004. Fairfax has denied ever sexually assaulting anyone.

A look at other statewide elected officials who have recently faced sexual misconduct allegations:

› Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican. Bentley resigned April 10, 2017, as House impeachment proceedings began against him. He pleaded guilty that same day to two misdemeanor campaign finance violations that arose during an investigation of his alleged affair with a top aide.

An investigatory report for the impeachment proceedings had said Bentley encouraged an “atmosphere of intimidation” to try to keep the relationship secret and had directed a law officer to try to track down and seize recordings of him making sexually charged comments to the woman.

› Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray, a Republican. Murray resigned Feb. 9, 2018, following accusations of sexual misconduct by two women from decades ago. One woman accused him of sexually attacking her after hours at a Cheyenne law office where they both worked over 35 years ago. The other woman said Murray forcibly kissed her when she was 18 years old after she had been babysitting for his family on New Year’s Eve 1988.

› New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat. Schneiderman had built a reputation as a supporter of the #MeToo movement and had filed a lawsuit aimed at securing better compensation for those accusing Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

But he resigned May 7, after a media report that he had slapped, choked, threatened and abused four women during intimate encounters. Campaign finance reports show Schneiderman used nearly $340,000 in political campaign money to pay a law firm that represented him during an investigation into the allegations.