Two of the highest-profile women seeking the Democratic presidential nomination have called for an investigation into a claim that Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax sexually assaulted a woman more than a decade ago.
Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York supported inquiries into Fairfax, a fellow Democrat, after his accuser, politics professor Vanessa Tyson, alleged Fairfax forced her to engage in oral sex during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.
“The letter written by the woman reads as a credible account, and I think there should be an investigation to get to the bottom of it and determine the facts,” Harris told reporters on Capitol Hill.
Gillibrand, in a live interview with Jon Lovett’s “Lovett Or Leave It” podcast taped in D.C. on Wednesday night, reportedly praised Tyson for the “enormous courage” she’s demonstrated in coming forward with her claim. Gillibrand described Tyson’s story as “deeply disturbing and credible,” according to the Atlantic’s Edward-Isaac Dovere.
“Not only does it have to be received by us, but it has to be taken very seriously, and it has to be investigated,” Gillibrand said.
[Read more: Democratic nightmare as Kavanaugh script flipped in Virginia, engulfing party in scandal: News Analysis]
Gillibrand last night at a “Lovett Or Leave It” podcast taping said the Fairfax accuser had “enormous courage,” said story was “deeply disturbing and credible”
“not only does it have to be received by us but it has to be taken very seriously and it has to be investigated.”— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) February 7, 2019
Gillibrand played a prominent role in the ouster of former Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., after he was accused of multiple incidents of sexual misconduct. She has also said former President Bill Clinton should have resigned after his extramarital affair with ex-White House intern Monica Lewinsky became public knowledge.
