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Virginia Governor Ralph Northam appears to have virtually no choice but to resign after losing the support of virtually all the Democrats and other key allies of the state, who have urged the governor to leave office because of a racist photo in which he appeared more than 30 years ago.
The Black Legislative Caucus of Virginia, the Democratic House Caucus and the Senate Democratic Caucus all asked Northam to resign late Friday, as well as several key progressive groups from the Governor's closest political allies. . ] Their calls for Northam's resignation came Friday after the Democrat apologized for appearing on a photo in which one person is dressed in black and one in Ku Klux Klan uniform. The photo appeared in his 1984 directory of medical schools.
The images of the directory were first published Friday afternoon by the conservative newspaper Big League Politics. The Virginian pilot subsequently obtained a copy of Eastern Virginia Medical School, which Northam attended. The picture shows two people looking at the camera – the one in black face, wearing a hat, a bowtie and a plaid pants; the other in Ku Klux Klan costume.
A journalist from the University of Michigan Associated Press saw the directory page and confirmed its authenticity to the Faculty of Medicine.
In his first apology, published in a written statement, Northam described the suit he wore as "clearly racist and offensive".
He subsequently issued a video statement stating that he was "deeply sorry" but still resolved to serve the "rest of my term".
"I accept responsibility for my past acts and I am ready to do the hard work to regain your trust," Northam said.
But Northam seems to have virtually no way to stay in office without any institutional support. His departure would mean that current governor Justin Fairfax, a Democrat who is only the second African-American to win a state-wide office in Virginia, would be the next governor . Northam's term was to end in 2022.
Black MPs met with Northam on Friday night and said they appreciated the service.
"But, given what has been revealed today, he can no longer" It's time for him to resign so that Virginia can begin the healing process. "
Senator of Canada State Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, a close ally of Northam and a long-time African-American legislator, described a hastily telephoned conference call with black state leaders as being "intense," her voice breaking , but she did not specify
Several Democratic presidential candidates and presidential candidates, including former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe also called Northam to resign.
Northam spent many years actively courting the black community in the perspective of his governorship career in 2017, building relationships that helped him win the first and the general election gen.He is a member of A church predominantly black on the east coast of Virginia, where he grew up.
"It's a matter of relationships and trust.It's not something you build overnight," Northam told AP at a news conference. stopping his campaign in 2017, describing his relationship with the black community.
Northam, a traditional pediatric neurologist who is a personal friend of many GOP lawmakers, was recently targeted by Republicans who accused him of supporting infanticide after he declared that he supported a bill easing the restrictions. long-term abortions.
Last week, Florida's secretary of state resigned after photos of a 2005 Halloween party showed him dressed in blackface while he was disguised as a victim of Hurricane Katrina .
Ben Finley contributed to the writing of this report
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