Furor over Va. Dems dies down

Some black leaders forgive governor, call for fair hearing for lt. gov.

RICHMOND, Va. — The clamor for the resignation of Virginia’s top two politicians seemed to die down Monday, with some black community leaders forgiving Gov. Ralph Northam over the blackface furor and calling for a fair hearing for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax on the sexual assault allegations against him.

Over the past several days, practically the entire Democratic establishment rose up to demand fellow Democrats Northam and Fairfax immediately step down. But the tone changed markedly after the weekend.

A Democratic state lawmaker who had threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Fairfax, Virginia’s highest-ranking black politician, set the idea aside after running into resistance.

At the same time, several black clergy and civic leaders made clear they are willing to give both Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring a second chance, while urging due process for Fairfax. Herring, like Northam, has admitted putting on blackface in the 1980s.

As the scandals engulfing Virginia’s top three elected Democrats developed, it became increasingly clear that it could look bad for the party if Fairfax were summarily pushed out and the two white men managed to stay in power.

“The sort of irony that makes your head spin is that Herring and Northam are in trouble for behavior related to Virginia’s racial past. And yet it may be the only African-American statewide officeholder who, at the end of the day, gets in trouble,” said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Virginia’s Christopher Newport University. “This may get worse and more uncomfortable before it gets better — if it does get better.”

If Northam stepped down, Fairfax would become Virginia’s second African-American governor in history. If all three Democrats resigned, a Republican could become governor: GOP House Speaker Kirk Cox is next in the line of succession.

Late last week, amid widespread calls for Fairfax’s resignation, Democratic Del. Patrick Hope, who is white, announced plans to introduce articles of impeachment against the lieutenant governor on Monday. But Hope relented, citing both reaction from colleagues and online accusations he is a racist.