On the Gene Rossi Show a few minutes ago, Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax’s spokesperson, Lauren Burke, made a bit of news. Asked by Rossi (at 7 minutes of the first audio, below) whether Fairfax was planning to run for governor of Virginia in 2021, and how Fairfax’s lawsuit against CBS, as well as the apparent decision of former Gov. Terry McAuliffe to run, might affect Fairfax’s thinking about running for governor in 2021, Burke responded as follows.
“Why wouldn’t he be [thinking about running for governor in 2021]? Why wouldn’t he be? There’s nothing proven in this case; all we have is people talking…Justin Fairfax has been the one who has wanted to have a criminal investigation and get the facts out – nobody else…I don’t think there’s any fear whatsoever on our side of deposition or discovery. I think it should be on their side.
…I think the more the merrier [running for governor in 2021]. You know, the public in Virginia is very intelligent…don’t underestimate what the public is thinking out there.”
Also, see below for audio of the discussion about Lt. Gov. Fairfax’s $400 million defamation lawsuit against CBS News, which argues that CBS “published, promoted, and amplified these false statements [by Meredith Watson and Vanessa Tyson]”; that Fairfax is “bring[ing] this action to restore his reputation and clear his name, ensure the truth prevails, stop the weaponization of false allegations of sexual assault against him, and vindicate his rights under civil law”; and that “both encounters [with Watson and Tyson] were entirely consensual.” According to Fairfax’s spokesperson, Lauren Burke:
- Watson “has accused two men [Corey Maggette and Justin Fairfax] of rape…there’s zero evidence for either case.“
- “[Meredith Watson and her attorney, Nancy Erika Smith, are] not denying that there was a third person [in the room that Ms. Watson didn’t bring up], they’re not denying that there was a relationship with somebody at CBS who knew the story; they’re not denying any of that, they’ve been dead silent for months…Where [are] Ms. Watson and Nancy Erika Smith right now saying that we’re crazy and we’re lying?”
- “The motivation is stopping Justin Fairfax from becoming of Virginia; we never heard anything negative about Justin for years…not a parking ticket, and all of a sudden, now – at the very moment he’s about to be governor of Virginia, these two come out. So the timing is extremely suspicious and I think goes to motive.”
As Gene Rossi puts it, “it’s gonna be one heck of a primary if the Lt. Governor is running for governor.”
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