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Virginia Republican embroiled in blackface scandal | Virginia Republican embroiled in blackface scandal |
(35 minutes later) | |
Virginia Republicans claimed the moral high ground this week as a blackface scandal left the state's Democratic leadership on the brink of implosion. | Virginia Republicans claimed the moral high ground this week as a blackface scandal left the state's Democratic leadership on the brink of implosion. |
But now a racist college publication has returned to haunt a top Republican. | But now a racist college publication has returned to haunt a top Republican. |
It has emerged that Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment edited a 1968 yearbook that was chock-full of slurs and blackface photos. | It has emerged that Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment edited a 1968 yearbook that was chock-full of slurs and blackface photos. |
The bombshell comes after Virginia's Republican party said top Democrats had lost the authority to govern. | The bombshell comes after Virginia's Republican party said top Democrats had lost the authority to govern. |
The uproar has shaken the state capitol in Richmond, which still grapples with its painful past as the capital of the pro-slavery Confederacy during the American Civil War. | The uproar has shaken the state capitol in Richmond, which still grapples with its painful past as the capital of the pro-slavery Confederacy during the American Civil War. |
Mr Norment, 72, was the managing editor of the Bomb, Virginia Military Institute's yearbook. | Mr Norment, 72, was the managing editor of the Bomb, Virginia Military Institute's yearbook. |
The Republican Senate leader denies he is among those pictured in blackface in the publication. | The Republican Senate leader denies he is among those pictured in blackface in the publication. |
But the yearbook was strewn with slurs against black and Asian students, according to the Virginian-Pilot newspaper, which broke the story. | |
It contained Confederate imagery and at least one instance of the N-word, as well as racist terms referring to a student from Thailand. | It contained Confederate imagery and at least one instance of the N-word, as well as racist terms referring to a student from Thailand. |
Another student was nicknamed the "barracks Jew" for "having his fingers in the finances of the entire corps". | Another student was nicknamed the "barracks Jew" for "having his fingers in the finances of the entire corps". |
In a letter from the editors section, Mr Norment had written: "Work on the Bomb has permitted me to release four years of inhibitions." | In a letter from the editors section, Mr Norment had written: "Work on the Bomb has permitted me to release four years of inhibitions." |
In a statement on Thursday, he distanced himself from his publication's controversial content. | In a statement on Thursday, he distanced himself from his publication's controversial content. |
"The use of blackface is abhorrent in our society and I emphatically condemn it," said Mr Norment. | "The use of blackface is abhorrent in our society and I emphatically condemn it," said Mr Norment. |
"As one of seven working on a 359-page yearbook, I cannot endorse or associate myself with every photo, entry or word on each page. | "As one of seven working on a 359-page yearbook, I cannot endorse or associate myself with every photo, entry or word on each page. |
"However, I am not in any of the photos referenced." | "However, I am not in any of the photos referenced." |
Virginia Military Institute communications director Col Stewart MacInnis told the BBC the school has changed its policies over the past decade to ensure advisers review the yearbook. | Virginia Military Institute communications director Col Stewart MacInnis told the BBC the school has changed its policies over the past decade to ensure advisers review the yearbook. |
But he noted: "This is a self-supporting student publication. There is a tension between institutional oversight and the cadets' First Amendment rights." | But he noted: "This is a self-supporting student publication. There is a tension between institutional oversight and the cadets' First Amendment rights." |
The scandal blew up last Friday when a picture from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's 1984 yearbook page showed someone in blackface and another in Ku Klux Klan robes. | The scandal blew up last Friday when a picture from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's 1984 yearbook page showed someone in blackface and another in Ku Klux Klan robes. |
Mr Northam apologised for the photo, then denied he was in the picture, but admitted wearing blackface while dressing up as Michael Jackson on a separate occasion that year. | Mr Northam apologised for the photo, then denied he was in the picture, but admitted wearing blackface while dressing up as Michael Jackson on a separate occasion that year. |
On Wednesday, the state's Attorney General Mark Herring - second-in-line to the governorship - revealed he too once wore "brown makeup" to a party. | On Wednesday, the state's Attorney General Mark Herring - second-in-line to the governorship - revealed he too once wore "brown makeup" to a party. |
Mr Herring had earlier urged the governor to resign over his racism scandal. | Mr Herring had earlier urged the governor to resign over his racism scandal. |
Meanwhile, Virginia's Democratic lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, is facing an allegation of sexual assault that he denies. | Meanwhile, Virginia's Democratic lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, is facing an allegation of sexual assault that he denies. |
Vanessa Tyson, a politics professor, released a statement on Wednesday accusing Mr Fairfax of forcing her to perform a sexual act on him in his hotel room at the 2004 Democratic convention in Boston. | Vanessa Tyson, a politics professor, released a statement on Wednesday accusing Mr Fairfax of forcing her to perform a sexual act on him in his hotel room at the 2004 Democratic convention in Boston. |
Amid public protests in Richmond this week, the Virginia Republican Party issued a statement saying the Democratic elected officials "have lost the trust of the people of Virginia and have lost the moral authority to govern". | Amid public protests in Richmond this week, the Virginia Republican Party issued a statement saying the Democratic elected officials "have lost the trust of the people of Virginia and have lost the moral authority to govern". |
If all three Democratic leaders were to resign over these controversies, Virginia could be led by the state's highest-ranking Republican, Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox. | If all three Democratic leaders were to resign over these controversies, Virginia could be led by the state's highest-ranking Republican, Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox. |
Mr Cox was asked by reporters on Thursday at the state capitol whether he had any racial skeletons in the closet. | Mr Cox was asked by reporters on Thursday at the state capitol whether he had any racial skeletons in the closet. |
"I have never appeared in blackface," Mr Cox, 61, said. "As you know, I was a schoolteacher, and that's abhorrent." | "I have never appeared in blackface," Mr Cox, 61, said. "As you know, I was a schoolteacher, and that's abhorrent." |
The scandal goes beyond politics. | The scandal goes beyond politics. |
While the Richmond racism row has provided ample fodder for late-night show hosts, two primetime funnymen have steered curiously clear of the topic. | While the Richmond racism row has provided ample fodder for late-night show hosts, two primetime funnymen have steered curiously clear of the topic. |
NBC's Jimmy Fallon and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel have both performed in blackface for comedy routines in the past. | NBC's Jimmy Fallon and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel have both performed in blackface for comedy routines in the past. |