Posted on February 12, 2019

Four Staffers Resign from Justin Fairfax’s Office, PAC

Donica Phifer, Newsweek, February 11, 2019

Four members of Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax’s team have resigned days after the politician was accused of a second sexual assault.

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, two staffers from Fairfax’s office at the state capitol and two staffers who worked for his political action committee resigned on Friday after a former classmate from Duke University, Meredith Watson, accused Fairfax of rape.

The resignations were Fairfax’s policy director Adele McClure and scheduling director Julia Billingsly and, from the lieutenant governor’s We Rise Together PAC, Dave Mills and Courtney McCargo. Mills served as the executive director for We Rise Together while McCargo was a fundraiser for the PAC.

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Fairfax’s chief of staff Lawrence Roberts, along with Burke, remain on staff at the lieutenant governor’s office. Roberts told the Post that the pressure of the last two weeks is taking its toll on employees. He added that the departures were unrelated to Fairfax’s “performance or abilities.”

“The pressure of constant incoming press, political and calls — our phones ring every five seconds and just trying to clear your voicemail is impossible,” Roberts said.

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Meanwhile, Virginia Delegate Patrick Hope said on Monday that he would not immediately proceed with filing articles of impeachment against Fairfax as “additional conversations” were needed before a resolution for impeachment could move forward, the Times-Dispatch reports.

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