In just six days, have entangled themselves in the three highest-ranking politician in Virginia in scandals – all are Democrats. Governor Northam and Minister of justice, Mr. Herring is accused of racism, the Vice-Governor Fairfax for a sexual Assault. The scandals are for the Democrats devastating, because in the autumn in the Federal state is chosen. the Bernadette Mittermeier
The US-Democrats in Virginia are affected three times by the past of their leaders home. Governor Ralph Northam and Minister of justice, Max Herring have admitted as students, racist face paint (“black facing”). Vice-Governor Justin Fairfax is accused of a serious sexual Assault. For the Democrats, looked up a few days ago, still optimistic about the Senate elections in Virginia in the fall, the scandals devastating.
the first case is coming up on Friday, with a 30-year-old photo from a Yearbook. To see two people; one has concealed with make-up, his face black. The so-called “black facing” is classified as a racist. Grinning, he stands next to someone who is wearing a white robe of the Ku-Klux-clan, the murdered secret society in the southern States many African Americans. Above the photo is the Name of the democratic Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam.
the Governor Northam denies that he is one of the two people posing on this old year book photo with Blackface and KKK-robe.
(photo: picture alliance/dpa)
He was either the man with the black painted face, or the Ku-Klux-Klan-costume, accused him of the conservative U.S. news site Big League Politics, published the photo. Northam apologized immediately, but changed his story completely. He was not seen in the photo, neither Blackface nor with a white Klan robe, he announced at a press conference on Saturday. He got dressed, but on another occasion, in 1984, as Michael Jackson and black Shoe Polish on your face lubricated. He regretted to have at the time, the “harmful legacy of such an act” not recognized. The press conference, the Calls intensified after his resignation, especially from his own party.
The Democrats in Virginia, looked already for a successor for Northam. The natural choice of the Vice-Governor Justin would have been Fairfax: He is a Democrat, young and dark-skinned. However, two days later, Fairfax was involved in a scandal. A woman accused him to have her in 2004, forced to satisfy him orally. Fairfax denied the allegations.
The party was yet to process the message because the third one came on Wednesday: The Minister of justice, Max Herring was also “black facing”. As a 19-year-old Student, he got dressed up for a Party as the Rapper Kurtis Blow, with brown Makeup and a wig. In a Statement, Herring stressed that the shameful reminder’ve been looking for him for a long time, and he apologized for the pain he caused with this disclosure.
Would withdraw the Governor Northam, would be Vice-Fairfax, his successor, Minister of justice, Mr. Herring is the third in the series. The next-highest-ranking politician of the Republican Kirk Cox, the speaker of the house of representatives in Virginia.
For the Democrats in Virginia are allegations of a particularly dangerous
The Democrats see themselves as the party that fights on the Front line against racism and for women’s rights. You have to rely on the votes of women and minorities in Virginia, and their voters are the sins of a racist youth and rape allegations not so fast to forgive.
In Virginia, is that time. Since Barack Obama in 2008 was elected President, moved the state slowly but steadily to the left. In the past three presidential elections was democratically elected, the last two governors were Democrats. The Democrats see Virginia as a progressive state that stands out among the others, especially conservative southern States.
That racist groups also play a large role, especially in August 2017, obviously, as neo-Nazis, members of the Ku-Klux-Klan and other right-wing extremists carrying torches through Charlottesville marched. Racism is a defining campaign issue in Virginia. The next elections for the house of representatives and the Senate of the Federal state in November.
In both chambers, Republicans have a seat. Until Friday, the Democrats still had the hope to win in the fall, the control of the upper and lower house. Given the scandals of the last few days of this optimism has been dampened properly.