Washington (CNN)Former FBI Director James Comey called Thursday for the removal of Confederate statues in Virginia’s capital in the wake of blackface scandals involving top statewide elected officials, in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
“Expressing bipartisan horror at blackface photos is essential, but removing the statues would show all of America that Virginia really has changed,” Comey writes.
“There is no doubt that Virginia’s leaders need to be held accountable for their personal history, but every Virginia leader is responsible for the racist symbols that still loom over our lives,” Comey writes.
Last week, a photo from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook surfaced showing one person in blackface and another dressed in the Ku Klux Klan’s signature white hood and robes. Northam initially apologized and said he was in the photo, but then said a day later that he was not one of the two people pictured. The governor said he had darkened his face to resemble Michael Jackson during a dance contest in 1984.
Despite increasing pressure to resign, Northam has not indicated he will step down from his post.
On Wednesday, Virginia was further plunged into chaos when Attorney General Mark Herring admitted he had appeared in blackface at a 1980 college party.
Comey writes that elected officials who wore blackface “or lied about it, shouldn’t hold office,” adding that “past actions matter.” He describes blackface as a “tool of white oppression.”
“White people designed blackface to keep black people down, to intimidate, mock and stereotype,” Comey writes.
“As a college kid in Virginia during the 1980s, I knew that, and so did my classmates,” he added.
But Comey argues that the Confederate statues are “much larger and more powerful symbols of that oppression — symbols born of a similar desire to keep black people down.” He describes them as “gigantic bronze embodiments of that same racism.”
“They loom over Virginians every day,” Comey writes. “If Virginia’s leaders want to atone for a troubling legacy, changing state law so Richmond’s statues no longer taunt the progress of our country would be a good place to start.”
The former FBI director argues that the statues of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson “weren’t put up to celebrate history or heritage; they were put up as a message: The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution aren’t going to help you black folks because the South has risen from that humiliation. Jim Crow — a name rooted in blackface mockery — is king.”
https://twitter.com/3ChicsPolitico/status/1094088773380509697
A political hit is happening in Virginia. I wouldn’t put anything pass this creepy mofo. He should be in jail. If he did it to Robert Mueller, what the hell would stop him from going after Fairfax? Dems better know what they’re doing here.
https://twitter.com/JacobAWohl/status/1092858817790930944
The SHINY object right now is VA. TRUMP is up to his eyeballs in CORRUPTION.
All his cohorts are crooks, thieve and liars, and the media wants us to look at Fairfax and some trumped up bullshit about an alleged rape, while “BLACKFACE” NORTHAM is on a PR touch up tour.
You can’t make this fucking shit up.
https://twitter.com/TheDemCoalition/status/1093989779509792768
Hear ye! Hear ye! Read all about it. A political lynching of the Black Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Justin Fairfax, starting with introducing articles of impeachment on Monday based on an allegation & a letter. Virginia can’t escape its racist history.
https://twitter.com/HopeforVirginia/status/1094016005267951616
What the fuck is the impeachable offence, pray tell?
So BLACK FACE bench warms and unproven claims of rape gets a full court press.
OH TO BE WHITE & RACIST in AMERICA!
https://twitter.com/3ChicsPolitico/status/1094035587122843648
@ametia @rikyrah Railroading the Black guy but Northam ain’t moving.
https://twitter.com/MattMurph24/status/1094016011588767746
https://twitter.com/ChelseaClinton/status/1093983194146394113
Carson news………..
Carson runs into Jay’s room and points at tv and says please. He wants daughter to turn it on so he can play the game. 😍😍😍
Awe😍😍
They start early with those games, don’t they? Carson will probably ask for a cell phone or a Tablet for Christmas this year.
They let him hold the control and he pushes buttons.
What!!! My grandson had an iPad when he was 2 years old. Wiping & swiping, like he’s done it all his short life..
These kids are coming out of the womb with “SELFIES” lLOL
I know it’s true, but I find it very hard to believe that the cute little baby is now a cute little man in the making. SG2, he’s too precious and is soooo smart. He says ”please” when a lot of grown persons don’t seem to know the meaning of the word.
Carson says pleeeaaase. I love this baby!
Having kindness and manners goes a long way, Carson’s a treasure.
https://twitter.com/3ChicsPolitico/status/1093999197764939776
NOPE! Due process. He’s entitled to an investigation. Why isn’t she filing charges? This is a political hit job. They had to up the ante since the first accusation wasn’t working in their favor. Stop being gullible.
https://twitter.com/TerryMcAuliffe/status/1093993726257569792
Due process!!
Tryna pull a ‘Franken” on Fairfax.
THIS
Subpoena WHITAKER
Stick a fork in Fairfax=DONE
Second woman accuses Lt. Gov. Fairfax of sexual assault, calls for his resignation
POSTED 4:27 PM, FEBRUARY 8, 2019, BY WEB STAFF, UPDATED AT 04:28PM, FEBRUARY 8, 2019
A second woman has come forward accusing Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault.
Lawyers for Meredith Watson released a statement Friday saying that she was raped by Fairfax while they were both Duke University students in 2000, and called for Fairfax’s resignation.
The statement is as follows:
https://wtkr.com/2019/02/08/second-woman-accuses-lt-gov-fairfax-of-sexual-assault-calls-for-his-resignation/
See how coordinated this is? Northam is not resigning, Fairfax is TOAST.
He’s entitled to an investigation. I told folks when they pushed out Al Franken with no due process, these fuckers were gonna come for Black men.
We sure did, SG2
John D. Dingell Jr., who served almost 60 years in Congress, dictated parting words for America on the day he died.
“One of the advantages to knowing that your demise is imminent, and that reports of it will not be greatly exaggerated, is that you have a few moments to compose some parting thoughts,” Dingell said. He dictated these reflections on Thursday to his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), at their home in Dearborn. He died later that day at age 92.
“In our modern political age, the presidential bully pulpit seems dedicated to sowing division and denigrating, often in the most irrelevant and infantile personal terms, the political opposition.
“And much as I have found Twitter to be a useful means of expression, some occasions merit more than 280 characters.”
https://s2.washingtonpost.com/107844d/5c5deef6e6e81b54008ce307/YXdhcmVvZjQxMUBnbWFpbC5jb20%3D/2/10/3a569220054ddfca9b49a25bb24a75b5
How whiteness works……
https://twitter.com/TheAPJournalist/status/1093987347782397952
https://twitter.com/CAPAction/status/1093954895626027008
SG2, remember the farmer John Boyd? FACE PALMS
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
THIS NEGRO! There is always one bootlicking clown
Mr. Boyd is playing his hand. Other black lawmakers will follow suit.
They’re going to make Northam pay in the way of funding and fair policy.
Whitaker is begging for jail time. I can see it coming.
https://twitter.com/JaneFerguson5/status/1093963052217782274
https://twitter.com/NormOrnstein/status/1093977345390727168
https://twitter.com/MalcolmNance/status/1093944294367526914
Dear Lord, DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
https://twitter.com/reesetheone1/status/1093976207085965312
https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold/status/1093952649710297088
SLUSH FUND. Yet, folks are calling for Fairfax impeachment?
DISTRACTION
🤣🤣😂😂
https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/1093941360405680129
White male smugness & mediocrity on full display
Black women don’t stand for the FOOLISHNESS.
https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1093968663110172672
They should subpoena his ass
Well. Well.
https://twitter.com/funder/status/1093971036511580161
I don’t know whether to scream or cry…..
https://twitter.com/lrozen/status/1093953684298481664
https://twitter.com/mikemolloy/status/1093944071809310723
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1093925743321645057
Yeah, right. Everyone will believe it, I’m sure.
Why don’t they just say that the Saudi Royals are above the law and be done with it?
Absolutely GALLING
https://twitter.com/joncoopertweets/status/1093898501249998848
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCfBY61m1xA
Photo op. Exactly.
https://twitter.com/RepRaulGrijalva/status/1093906112972230657
Distraction from the shitload of investigations of 45.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1093918971114467328
#Whitaker is playing fucking games. He is trying to use up folks time by giving long answers when he could answer in a simple yes or no.
https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/1093917121564811264
https://twitter.com/TeenVogue/status/1093646851939729413
APARTHEID!
https://twitter.com/soledadobrien/status/1093895299016417281
https://twitter.com/RWPUSA/status/1093883879008751617
https://twitter.com/HouseDemocrats/status/1093906273005907969
https://twitter.com/CNNPolitics/status/1093897041615482880
https://twitter.com/jkbjournalist/status/1093710334110695424
https://twitter.com/reuterspictures/status/1093585687473999874
bitchass mofo
https://twitter.com/TPM/status/1093894264642306048
https://twitter.com/woodruffbets/status/1093889880260780032
https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/1093885923450851328
Word of the Day : February 8, 2019
Wiseacre:noun WYZE-ay-ker
Definition: one who pretends to knowledge or cleverness; especially : smart aleck
https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/wiseacre-2019-02-08?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=w&file=wiseac01&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=wotd&utm_content=pron
https://twitter.com/Drew_Hammill/status/1093890138797731840
https://twitter.com/funder/status/1093888957094522880
Another 45 & co. INCOMPETENT tool.
https://twitter.com/KenDilanianNBC/status/1093889146987388929
LIAR
I was listening to him. My mouth dropped opened. WTFF?
https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1093890231672160257
1968 yearbook, the year MLK Jr was assassinated.
https://twitter.com/virginianpilot/status/1093565167550500866
https://twitter.com/CharlesMBlow/status/1093601184605184003
And to think Florida came so close to having a progressive governor.
https://twitter.com/AndrewGillum/status/1093616305394077697
https://twitter.com/RepRaulGrijalva/status/1093580182965891073
Uh huh 😒
https://twitter.com/fawfulfan/status/1093872843035676672
https://twitter.com/RanttMedia/status/1093708113864286208
Bezo got #ALL.THE.TIME$$$$
https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker/status/1093870348683104256
https://twitter.com/qsteph/status/1093529848327348224
They didn’t just rape them, they got them pregnant, and sold their own offspring into slavery to make money.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1093872076354711552
https://twitter.com/KarenAttiah/status/1093856584952963073
😠😠😠
Zpac Shakur (@ChristineFox) Tweeted:
Black farmers purchased more than $100k worth of seeds at a farm trade show. The certified seeds had 0% germination ability. (They were promised 100% germination & high yields.) This was a race-based scam & they are now suing the billion dollar company in federal court.
https://t.co/SfuNk96Hi3 https://twitter.com/ChristineFox/status/1093360512518184960?s=17
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1093711085201444864
Thread
https://twitter.com/KarenAttiah/status/1093845230070218752
😠😠😠
https://twitter.com/university_fox/status/1092352516086554624
https://twitter.com/tomwatson/status/1093862051070517248
Yes👏👏👏
https://twitter.com/Essence/status/1093861135068160000
https://twitter.com/brathet/status/1093858448511508480
Uh huh
Uh huh 😒
https://twitter.com/matthewamiller/status/1093860909418795013
https://twitter.com/ma_franks/status/1093706993720836096
https://twitter.com/jackjonesbabe/status/1093859169659244544
Yeah👏👏
https://twitter.com/scobie/status/1093810574792814592
Just adorable!
https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1093634228380590082
https://twitter.com/4everNeverTrump/status/1093609621783142400
What say you, Little Susie 😒😒
https://twitter.com/brianefallon/status/1093701035045068800
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xNdufkb73Q
https://twitter.com/Bakari_Sellers/status/1093851529432453120
ALWAYS remember our HISTORY
https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1093721973824339968
https://twitter.com/dburbach/status/1093737060085780480
https://twitter.com/MazMHussain/status/1093653786860625920
https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1093738383594143744
https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1093729226505764864
https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1093554283365236736
Good Morning, Everyone 😄😄😄
TGIF, Everyone!