Vanessa Tyson (Photo courtesy Stanford University)
WHITTIER, Ca. – Dr. Vanessa Tyson,the woman who previously accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault has now announced she is running for a seat in the California State Assembly.
In a Facebook post she said, “I’m running for California State Assembly District 57, an open seat that includes my hometown of Whittier, CA, where I was raised by my mom and a community of amazing people who helped me become a first-generation college graduate. These days, I’m a professor of politics and policy, but my prior work includes analyzing legislation for the CA State Senate, and working as a Field Deputy for a local Congresswoman, handling health issues and immigration-related problems for constituents.”
Tyson added that she is a long-time advocate for at-risk youth, women’s rights, and sexual violence prevention and is also advocating for a green economy.
In February Tyson released a statement detailing a non-consensual sexual encounter with Fairfax at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
Fairfax was a staffer for then-presidential candidate John Kerry at that year’s DNC, which was located in Boston. Tyson’s statement said that both of them were working at the convention, and that their interactions prior to the assault were cordial but not flirtatious.
Fairfax released a statement after the allegation came out saying that he remembered a “consensual encounter.” According to Tyson, what began as “consensual kissing” turned into a sexual assault.
After Tyson was interviewed on CBS News Fairfax filed a defamation lawsuit against CBS seeking $400 million.
Earlier in December Fairfax announced his own plan to run for Virginia governor in 2021.
To read more on the sexual assault allegations against Lt. Gov. Fairfax, click here.
