Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax revealed Sunday that he took a polygraph test that supports his assertion that he did not sexually assault two women who came out with accusations against him earlier this year.
The Democrat released a lengthy statement about the examination in the early afternoon, not long after CBS promoted the first excerpts of interviews with the two women, Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson, due to air this week.
“When asked: ‘Did you engage in any non-consensual sexual activity with Vanessa Tyson?,’ Lt. Governor Fairfax answered ‘no,’” said the press release from Fairfax. “The polygraph examination showed that this was a truthful answer.”
Va. @LGJustinFairfax says he took a polygraph exam that supports his contention that he did not sexual assault two women when he was a younger man. The test asked about encounters with both accusers, Vanessa Tyson & Meredith Watson. Full Press release below. @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/VyUpYG0sbR
— Julie Carey (@JulieCareyNBC) March 31, 2019
The statement said the polygraph indicated Fairfax was telling the truth when he said he did not have nonconsensual sex with Meredith Watson who also accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting her.
Tyson accused Fairfax last month of sexually assaulting her back in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Tyson said that Fairfax took her back to his hotel room where he forced her to perform oral sex.
Fairfax, 40, has denied any wrongdoing saying the encounter was “100 percent” consensual.
After Tyson accused Fairfax, Watson stepped forward and accused Fairfax of raping her back in 2000.
The polygraph test was administered by retired FBI polygraph expert Jeremiah Hanafin, the same person who performed one on Christine Blasey Ford, one of the women who accused now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct during his confirmation process last year.
The statement said Barry Pollack, Fairfax’s attorney, said his client will submit to any law enforcement investigation that may still take place. “A meaningful, professional factual investigation,” Pollack said, “would exonerate the Lt. Governor and clear his well-earned good name and reputation.”
The release of Fairfax’s polygraph test coincides with CBS preparing to air an interview with both accusers. Tyson said in a preview of the full interview, “In my ideal world, I’d want him to resign.”
