>>> I THINK THERE’S A RIGHTFUL HESITATION ABOUT REMOVAL FROM
OFFICE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU
HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT TO SOME
DEGREE YOU’RE OVERTURNING AN
ELECTION.
ELECTION. IMPEACHMENT, THAT’S A VERY HIGH
STANDARD.
STANDARD. I THINK THAT’S WHY WE’VE CALLED
FOR THE RESIGNATION.
WE HOPE THAT’S WHAT THE
GOVERNMENT DOES.
GOVERNMENT DOES. I THINK THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE
LESS PAIN FOR EVERYONE.
>> GOODNESS, VIRGINIA’S
REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER
RENEWING CALLS FOR GOVERNOR
RALPH NORTHAM’S RESIGNATION BUT
STOPPING SHORT OF CALLING FOR
HIS IMPEACHMENT.
HIS IMPEACHMENT. GOVERNMENT NORTHAM CONTINUES TO
WEIGH HIS OPTIONS AS CALLS FOR
HIM TO STEP DOWN INTENSIFY.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTS
THAT HE GATHERED STAFF YESTERDAY
TO APOLOGIZE FOR ONGOING
CONTROVERSY AROUND THE RACIST
PHOTO AND TO ASK FOR MORE TIME
TO CLEAR HIS NAME.
THE GOVERNOR URGED STAFFERS NOT
TO QUIT AND PROMISED HE WOULD
MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HIS FATE
SOON BUT DID NOT GIVE AN EXACT
TIME FRAME ACCORDING TO THREE
PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH THE
MEETING.MEETING
MEETING.MEETING MEETING.
MEETING. THAT’S ONE PART OF THE STORY.
MEANWHILE, THE STATE’S
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WHO COULD
BECOME GOVERNOR IF THE GOVERNOR
STEPS DOWN, IS DENYING SEXUAL
ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS.
ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS. "THE WASHINGTON POST" SAYS THE
ACCUSER REACHED OUT TO THE PAPER
AFTER FAIRFAX WON ELECTION IN
NOVEMBER OF 2017 AND BEFORE HE
WAS INAUGURATED THE FOLLOWING
JANUARY.
JANUARY. SHE ACCUSED HIM OF SEXUAL
ASSAULTING HER INSIDE HIS HOTEL
ROOM AT THE 2004 DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL CONVENTION BEFORE HE
WAS MARRIED.
WAS MARRIED. FAIRFAX SAYS THE ENCOUNTER WAS
CON SENSUAL.
CON SENSUAL. HOWEVER, THE POST SAYS THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, HIS CLAIM
THAT "THE WASHINGTON POST" FOUND
SIGNIFICANT RED FLAGS AND
INCONSISTENCIES WITHIN THE
ALLEGATIONS IS INCORRECT.
THE REASON THE PAPER SAID IT
DIDN’T RUN THE STORY AT THE TIME
IS BECAUSE REPORTERS COULDN’T
FIND ANYONE TO CORROBORATE
EITHER VERSION.
EITHER VERSION. "WASHINGTON POST" EXECUTIVE
EDITOR MARTY BARON ISSUED A
STATEMENT WHY THE PAPER DECIDED
TO GO AHEAD AND PUBLISH THE
ALLEGATION, QUOTE, LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR FAIRFAX IS A PUBLIC
OFFICIAL WHO MAY WELL RISE TO
THE POSITION OF GOVERNOR.
HE BEGAN THE MORNING BY ISSUING
A STATEMENT REGARDING
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM MAKING
SPECIFIC REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT
POST REPORTING THAT HAD NOT
RESULTED IN PUBLICATION.
WE THEN HAD AN OBLIGATION TO
CLARIFY THE NATURE OF BOTH
ALLEGATIONS AND OUR REPORTING."
>> DOES ANYBODY THINK IT’S ANY
COINCIDENCE ON THE EVE OF
POTENTIALLY MY BEING ELEVATED
THAT THAT’S WHEN THIS
UNCORROBORATED SMEAR COMES OUT?
DOES ANYBODY THINK THAT’S A
COINCIDENCE?
COINCIDENCE? YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE CYNICAL,
YOU DON’T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
POLITICS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN
SOMEONE IS TRYING TO MANIPULATE
A PROCESS TO HARM SOMEONE AS
CHARACTER WITHOUT ANY BASIS
WHATSOEVER.
WHATSOEVER. >> GENE, TO SAY THIS IS AN
ABSOLUTE CHAOTIC MESS IS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT.
UNDERSTATEMENT. IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT RICHMOND.
YOU HAD COLLEGE WILLIAM & MARY
DISINVITING THE GOVERNOR.
>> STEEPED IN HISTORY.
YOU KNOW, WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON,
MADISON AND SO FOR THE COLLEGE
OF WILLIAM&MARY, WHICH TAKES IT
VERY SERIOUSLY TO DISINVITE THE
GOVERNOR IS A HUGE DEAL.
>> AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
VIRGINIA NOW -- YET WE’RE IN A
SITUATION YOU HAVE A CLOUD
HANGING OVER THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, AN ALLEGATION FROM
FROUR
FROUR 2004.
2004. >> IT’S A MESS ALL AROUND.
AS FAR AS THE GOVERNOR IS
CONCERNED, HE’S BEEN ABANDONED
BY EVERY MAJOR DEMOCRAT AND MOST
REPUBLICANS, SEPTEMBER THOSE WHO
ARE CRYING CROCODILE TEARS OVER
THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTY THE
DEMOCRATS ARE IN.
HE’S BEEN TOTALLY ABANDONED.
HE’S ALL ALONE.
HE HAS NO REAL SUPPORT.
SO IT IS NOT VIABLE FOR HIM TO
CONTINUE AS GOVERNOR, IN MY
VIEW.
VIEW. I DON’T SEE HOW HE GOVERNS.
BUT --
BUT -- >> WHAT’S NEXT?
HE STEPS DOWN?
THE LIEUTENANT COMES IN AND THEN
THE SAME CALLS WILL COME FOR THE
LIEUTENANT TO RESIGN IF THIS
WOMAN COMES FORWARD?
>> THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
FAIRFAX WAS AND WE’LL SEE, IS A
COMPLETE RISING STAR IN
POLITICS, WHO HAS A FASCINATING
HISTORY, NAMED FAIRFAX AFTER
FAIRFAX COUNTY AND HIS ANCESTORS
WERE ENSLAVED ON THE FAIRFAX
FOUNDATION.
FOUNDATION. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE STORY WHEN
HE WAS SWORN IN AS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, SECOND.
GOVERNOR, SECOND. TO HOLD THAT POSITION AFTER DOUG
WILDER.
WILDER. HE HAD HIS GREAT, GREAT, GREAT
GRANDFATHER’S PAPERS IN HIS
POCKET.
POCKET. >> WE’VE READ THE STORIES.
IT’S STOREDEXTRAORDINARILY MOVIN
CAN CANTHE SAME PARTY SAY THAT
BRETT KAVANAUGH COULDN’T SIT ON
THE SUPREME COURT --
>> THIS WILL BE LITIGATED IN THE
COURT OF BLACKOPINION,PUBLIC PIN
THAT’S WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ON
THIS.
THIS. I DO THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF
INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE
GOVERNOR.
GOVERNOR. POLITICIANS SURVIVE SCANDALS,
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS, PRESIDENT
CLINTON DID.
CLINTON DID. YOU NEED YOUR BASE TO STICK WITH
YOU.
YOU. THE GOVERNOR --
>> HIS NEWS CONFERENCE WAS THE
SELF-INFLICTED FINAL STRAW.
>> IT DOESN’T MATTER IF THAT
PICTURE DEPICTS HIM, HE NOW SAYS
IT DOESN’T.
IT DOESN’T. HE ACKNOWLEDGED WEARING BLACK
FACE AND IMPERSONATING MICHAEL
JACKSON AS AN ADULT.
WE DON’T KNOW WHERE THE STORY
WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS
GOING TO LEAD US.
WE NEED TO KNOW MORE --
>> ONLY AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE
COULD THE GOVERNOR’S WIFE STOP
HIM FROM MOON WALKING.
>> SHE COULD NOT STOP HIM FROM
GIVING TIPS ON PUTTING BLACK
SHOE POLL,ISH ON YOUR FACE.
THIS GUY WAS ACCUSED DURING THE
CAMPAIGN OF BEING A BAG OF MULCH
BY DEMOCRATS WHO WERE UPSET THAT
HE WAS NOT DOING BETTER THAN HE
WAS DOING.
WAS DOING. I THINK THAT MAY HAVE ACTUALLY
BEEN AN INSULT TO A BAG OF
MULCH.
MULCH. >> AND YET HIS POSITION IS IT
WAS NOT ME IN THAT PHOTOGRAPH,
HERE I AM TELLING YOU ABOUT THE
MICHAEL JACKSON BLACK FACE AND
THE MOON WALKING, BUT IT’S NOT
ME IN THAT PHOTOGRAPH, I’M NOT
GOING ANYWHERE.
GOING ANYWHERE. THE QUESTION IS HOW LONG IS THAT
A SUSTAINABLE POSITION --
>> IT’S NOT SUSTAINABLE.
IT’S THE WHOLE CONTEXT OF THAT
PRESS CONFERENCE.
PRESS CONFERENCE. AT ONE POINT HE CONTINUED TO
KIND OF IMPLY THAT IT WAS JUST
THE TIMES, IT WAS 1984, RIGHT?
SO WHO KNEW THAT BLACK FACE WAS
RACIST.
RACIST. >> THE REASON YOU HAVE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FAIRFAX NOW
OR INTIMATING THAT THE
GOVERNOR’S TEAM MAY HAVE HAD A
HAND IN GETTING THIS STORY OUT.
IT GIVES THE GOVERNOR SOME
BREATHING ROOM.
BREATHING ROOM. THAT SLOWS THIS PROCESS DOWN.
THIS WOMAN COMES OUT AND IS MORE
PUBLIC IN HER TESTIMONY.
I UNDERSTAND BY REPORTING FROM
"THE WASHINGTON POST" THAT SHE’S
GOTTEN A LAWYER NOW.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE
SOME MORE LEGS TO THIS
POTENTIALLY, AND THAT IN TERMS
OF THE NORTHAM SITUATION SLOWS
THE PROCESS DOWN.
>> LIKE WITH BRETT KAVANAUGH IT
SEEMS LIKE THE STORY IS BEING
FORCED OUT.
FORCED OUT. >> MOST TROUBLING FOR FAIRFAX IS
THAT THIS WOMAN ACTUALLY
VOLUNTARILY REACHED OUT TO
THE "WASHINGTON POST" AFTER HE
WAS ELECTED AND BEFORE THE
INAUGURATION.
INAUGURATION. SO IT DOES ADD COMPLICATIONS.
WHAT’S SO FASCINATING AND,
AGAIN, I AM MAKING FUN OF NORM
NORTHAM AND THE WAY HE HANDLED
HIMSELF IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
I DON’T KNOW IF MAKING FUN IS
THE RIGHT WORD, IT WAS
HORRIFYING.
HORRIFYING. AND YET YOU READ REPORTS FROM
VIRGINIA THAT ACTUALLY HE WAS A
PRETTY EFFECTIVE GOVERNOR, THAT
HE WORKED WITH REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS AND EXPANSION OF
MEDICAID, GETTING A LOT DONE.
>> AND THAT’S A PROBLEM.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF MONEYEN O
THE STREET INTERVIEWS DONE AND
IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR
PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THING, HE’S
BEEN AN EFFECTIVE GOVERNOR, WE
LIKE HIS POLICIES AND THEY ARE
AT LEAST TRYING TO FIND SOME
KIND OF WAY TO CREATE SOME SPACE
TO NOT SO MUCH FORGIVE HIM BUT
NOT USE THAT AS THE CUDGEL TO
SORT OF PUSH HIM OUT.
I THINK THE WAY NORTHAM IS
LOOKING AT THIS IS IF I HAVE
THAT KIND OF SORT OF PAUSE IN
THIS PROCESS, TO HIS POINT,
GIVES ME A CHANCE TO GO OUT AND
PROVE THAT THE ALLEGATIONS
AREN’T TRUE.
AREN’T TRUE. I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT
GIVEN THE PHOTO EVIDENCE.
>> NOT GIVEN THE SKILLS HE’S
SHOWING.
SHOWING. >> I DON’T THINK YOU CAN.
BUT THE QUESTION IS --
>> HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE
DOESN’T KNOW.
DOESN’T KNOW. >> WHERE DO DEMOCRATS GO FROM
HERE, THOUGH, SUSAN?
IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT NORTHAM
LEAVING AND YOU’RE LOOKING AT
FAIRFAX STEPPING UP AND HAVING A
WOMAN FROM 2004 WITH A LAWYER
ACCUSING HIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
AGAINST, AGAIN, THE BACKDROP OF
LAST SUMMER’S BRETT KAVANAUGH
HEARINGS FOR A PARTY THAT HAS
ZERO TOLERANCE, THAT DROVE AL
FRANKEN OUT OF TOWN BECAUSE HE
WAS ACCUSED, HE DENIED THE
CHARGES, THAT HE PLACED HIS
HANDS ON WOMEN DURING PICTURES.
>> AND THIS IS A CHANGE IN A
SPACE OF, WHAT, TWO YEARS, THAT
THERE IS ZERO TOLERANCE.
IT IS A REFLECTION OF HOW
DEMOCRATS HAVE VIEWED PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY, THAT THEY
WILL NOT ALLOW SOMEONE WHO HAS
BEHAVED IN AN INAPPROPRIATE WAY
IN THE PAST --
>> OR SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN
ACCUSED OF.
ACCUSED OF. YOU CAN’T ACTUALLY SAY THAT
JUSTIN FAIRFAX BEHAVED IN AN
INAPPROPRIATE WAY.
INAPPROPRIATE WAY. YOU CAN’T SAY THAT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO SAY HE’S
ACCUSED.
ACCUSED. >> YES, YOU DO.
>> WE DON’T KNOW THAT.
>> I’M SORRY, WE GOT TO SPEAK
ENGLISH.
ENGLISH. >> IT IS IMPORTANT.
LET’S JUST STOP.
I KNOW ALEX HAS TOLD TO US GO TO
BREAK 30 TIMES.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US IN THE
MEDIA TO TAKE A PAUSE BECAUSE I
KNOW MIKA WAS ISSUING THESE
WARNINGS VERY CAREFULLY DURING
THE BRETT KAVANAUGH HEARINGS AND
EVERY TIME SHE DID IT --
>> WHO I THOUGHT WAS UNFIT, BY
THE WAY.
THE WAY. >> SHE WOULD GET ABSOLUTELY
SECURED.
SECURED. THERE IS SOMETHING IN MRK CALLED
DUE
DUE -- AMERICA CALLED DUE PROCESS
AND IF YOU’RE AT A LOSS, YOU’RE
GOING TO PAY.
>> AND I’M AT A LOSS ABOUT AL
FRANK
FRANK FRANKEN.
FRANKEN. THEY’RE ALL ACCUSED.
TELL ME WHERE WE GO FROM HERE ON
THIS ONE.
THIS ONE. THAT’S THE CONVERSATION WITH ME
TOO, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
JUSTIN FAIRFAX, WHAT IF HE’S
COMPLETELY INNOCENT?
COMPLETELY INNOCENT? WHAT IF HE DIDN’T DO THIS?
WHAT IF HE DID AND WHO ARE WE TO
SAY?
SAY? >> THE MARKER HAS BEEN LAID
DOWN.
DOWN. >> IT’S HARD.
>> THE STANDARD IS BELIEVE
WOMEN.
WOMEN. IF YOU BELIEVE WOMEN, YOU’VE GOT
TO LISTEN TO THIS WOMAN’S STORY.
MAYBE SHE’LL COME OUT PUBLICLY
AND TELL HER STORY.
HERE’S A RADICAL THOUGHT.
WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE FACTS OF
THE CASE.
THE CASE. >> WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE STORY.
WE DON’T KNOW.
VIRGINIA IS TOTALLY ILL EQUIPPED
TO DEAL WITH THIS.
GOVERNORS ONLY SERVE ONE
FOUR-YEAR TERM.
FOUR-YEAR TERM. THEY CAN’T BE RE-ELECTED.
THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO
IMPEACHMENT.
IMPEACHMENT. WE DON’T KNOW.
>> KELLYANNE CONWAY ALSO WEIGHED
IN ON THE NORTHAM CONTROVERSY.
>> THE PRESIDENT SAID HE THINKS
IT’S UNFORGIVABLEEABLEUNFORGIVAB
IT’S UNFORGIVABLEEABLEUNFORGIVAB UNCONSCIONABLE.
UNCONSCIONABLE. YOU CAN GO BACK TO HIS WORDS HE
SAID, GEE, IT WASN’T ME, I
DIDN’T DO IT.
>> THAT WOULD BE PRESIDENT TRUMP
WHO ONCE APOLOGIZED FOR THE
"ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TAPE BUT THEN
BEGAN RAISING THE PROSPECT THAT
IT MAY NOT BE HIM ON THE TAPE
AFTER ALL.
AFTER ALL. SO AHEAD, NEW POLLING SHOWS 43%
OF AMERICANS WOULD LIKE TO SEE
PRESIDENT TRUMP FACE A PRIMARY
CHALLENGER HEADING IN TO 2020,
BUT TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN IS
REPORTEDLY TAKING STEPS TO MAKE
SURE THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN.
"MORNING JOE" IS COMING RIGHT
BACK.
BACK. >> ARE YOU STILL ABLE TO MOON