Virginia governor refuses to step down, now says racist photo might not be of him
RICHMOND, Virginia — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is refusing to resign despite overwhelming pressure from within his Democratic party and has told at least one lawmaker that he now does not think that a racist photo in his 1984 yearbook includes him, Democratic party officials said Saturday.
Northam publicly apologized Friday for the medical school yearbook photo and acknowledged that he appeared in the image, which is of one man in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan robe.
But State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said that Northam called her Saturday morning and told her he did not think the picture was of him and he did not plan to resign.
'He should have said that yesterday then,' she said. 'He just told me he didn't think it's him. And I said, 'Ralph, this is a day late and a dollar short. It's too late.''
Around 10:30 a.m., the state Democratic party tweeted, 'We made the decision to let Governor Northam do the correct thing and resign this morning - we have gotten word he will not do so this morning.'
Northam was defying an avalanche of calls to step down from the office he'd assumed not 13 months ago. He spent Friday night huddled with advisers. A meeting with the state's legislative black caucus went poorly. National Democrats, including a host of a 2020 contenders and former Vice President Joe Biden, said he must resign. And even home-state allies who regarded him as a dear friend - including immediate predecessor and patron Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, himself a potential presidential candidate - said he had to go.
By 9 a.m. Saturday, Northam still had sent no word of his plans. But even friends who hoped he could weather the crisis were bracing for his resignation - a first for a Virginia governor in modern times.
More than a dozen protesters braved the frigid air to protest outside the governor's mansion, holding signs such as 'Blackface, no place' and 'Step down and do Virginia a favor.' They chanted 'Resign now!'
'There's no question the tide turned,' said one ally, who had been briefed by the governor's senior staff and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the private discussions.
Northam and his inner circle had been preparing to fight as news of the photograph broke Friday afternoon - he issued a written apology, then a video mea culpa. They planned a 'reconciliation tour,' taking him across the commonwealth to say he was sorry in person, his ally said.
'Then everything changed between 6 and 9 p.m.,' the ally said, as national Democrats unleashed a torrent of calls for his resignation.
On Friday, Northam, 59, released a statement and a video in which he admitted to appearing in the photo, although he did not say which costume he wore.
'I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now,' he said. 'This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service. But I want to be clear, I understand how this decision shakes Virginians' faith in that commitment.'
As cable television devoted hours to the controversy and social media lit up with #ResignRalph hashtags, Northam's most trusted allies called for him to step down, including his onetime partner, McAuliffe, state Senate and House Democrats, Virginia's Legislative Black Caucus and Planned Parenthood. Calls to resign also came from Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro.
'Black face in any manner is always racist and never okay,' tweeted Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP. 'No matter the party affiliation, we can not stand for such behavior, which is why the @NAACP is calling for the resignation of Virginia Governor @RalphNortham.'
The photo reverberated across the country and shook Virginians, who have struggled with a long and difficult legacy around race.
'Virginia's history is unfortunately replete with the scars and unhealed wounds caused by racism, bigotry and discrimination,' said Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat who plans to run for governor in 2021. 'It is imperative that Governor Northam hears and truly listens to those who are hurt by this image as he considers what comes next.'
Herring's remarks, which stopped short of calling for Northam's resignation, closely echoed sentiments expressed by the state's U.S. senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, both Democrats.
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