Fairfax accuser to meet with law enforcement to detail sexual assault claim

Vanessa Tyson, who accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) of sexual assault earlier this month, will meet with law enforcement and a district attorney to detail her sexual assault claim.

“Dr. Tyson will meet with members of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s staff and law enforcement to detail her allegations of sexual assault,” her attorney said in a statement on Wednesday. “We are working to schedule a meeting.”

{mosads}Fairfax spokesperson Lauren Burke told the Boston Globe that Fairfax would cooperate with any investigation, but would consider pressing charges against Tyson for making a false claim against him.

“In that event, the lieutenant governor will explore all options with regard to filing his own criminal complaint in response to the filing of a false criminal complaint against him,” she said. 

“This is a clear effort to obstruct justice,” attorneys for Tyson said in the statement. “Dr. Tyson will not be bullied and she will not be silenced by such threats.

Fairfax “looks forward” to the investigation, Burke said in a statement.

“We have said all along we are open to a full, fair and impartial and non-political investigation of this matter that affords due process to all,” she said. “We look forward to meeting the Suffolk County District Attorney should they decide to commence an investigation and will cooperate fully.”

“We know that when all accounts are heard that the truth will prevail and his name will be cleared,” she added.

Tyson accused Fairfax of forcing her to have oral sex with him at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

“What began as consensual kissing quickly turned into a sexual assault,” she said in a statement last week. “Mr. Fairfax forced me to perform oral sex on him.”

A second woman, Meredith Watson, also accused Fairfax of sexual assault last week. She said that he raped her while they were both students at Duke University. 

Fairfax has denied the allegations. He said in a statement that he was the victim of  “a vicious and coordinated smear campaign” and said he would not resign despite calls to do so from Democratic lawmakers.

Fairfax is one of three top Virginia politicians facing a scandal. The state’s governor, Ralph Northam (D), and attorney general, Mark Herring (D), admitted to using blackface earlier this month. 

-Updated 8:32 p.m.