At least a half-dozen faculty members, staffers and at least one cadet at the state-supported college in Lexington have arranged interviews with the investigators, according to a VMI faculty member who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. ADEarlier this month, Barnes & Thornburg released a progress report in which it complained that a dispute over lawyers had delayed its work and was a threat to “the independence and effectiveness” of its inquiry. ADOn Friday afternoon, the VMI Alumni Board Presidents emailed the school community, offering lawyers at no cost for alumni or cadets who participate in the interviews. Ralph Northam (D) and other state lawmakers ordered the investigation in October after Black cadets and alumni described disturbing incidents of racism to The Post. ADThe reaction among VMI alumni online was swift and fierce, with graduates in private VMI Facebook groups blasting the firm and citing the alleged request as evidence of the investigation’s biases.

Source: Washington Post February 20, 2021 00:02 UTC