Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) told CNN’s New Day Thursday morning that she has no reason to doubt Dr. Vanessa Tyson’s sexual assault allegation against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D).
Democratic Rep. @JackieSpeier says the woman accusing Virginia’s lieutenant governor of sexual assault should be heard.
“I have no reason to doubt her.” https://t.co/AcV0JiDAF1 pic.twitter.com/G7Vf7cIoGL
— New Day (@NewDay) February 7, 2019
A partial transcript is as follows:
JOHN BERMAN: You wrote a proposal or nominated Christine Blasey Ford to receive the Profiles in Courage award from the Kennedy Center in Massachusetts. She, of course, came forward with an accusation against Brett Kavanaugh, who is now on the Supreme Court. She told her story in front of the American people. Now there’s a different professor who is telling her story in front of the American people, at least publicly to the Washington Post, saying she was assaulted by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Justin Fairfax. Do you feel she deserves the same recognition for coming forward with her story?
REP. JACKIE SPEIER: I do. I think we’ve got to get to the point in this country where we appreciate that only a very small percentage who are sexually assaulted come forward, and the reason they don’t come forward is because they are trashed in the media and it is incumbent on us to believe the women. 92 to 97 percent of women of those who come forward are telling the truth.
BERMAN: Based on what you’ve seen, so far, and I think you’ve seen what we all have from Vanessa Tyson, you believe her?
REP. SPEIER: There’s very little that I have seen, but from what she has said I have no reason to doubt her.