Ralph Northam came under fire for a racist yearbook photo, which he acknowledged and then denied appearing in. Justin E. Fairfax was accused of sexual assault by two women, allegations he has strongly denied. And the state’s third-ranking elected official in Virginia, Attorney General Mark R. Herring, has acknowledged that he, too, wore blackface as a younger man. Only a week ago, it seemed that Mr. Fairfax, who is African-American, was poised to ascend to the governorship and lead Virginia through a reckoning with its painful history on race. Here is what the law says about removing Virginia politicians from office, why Mr. Fairfax’s case could throw gasoline on this political fire and what could happen next if Mr. Fairfax were to be forced out of office.

Source: New York Times February 09, 2019 22:30 UTC