Feb 6, 2019

Virginia attorney general admits he wore blackface at 1980 college party

Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

Virginia's Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring said in a statement Wednesday that he wore blackface at a college party in 1980, amid a deepening scandal in Richmond after the discovery last week of a racist photo on Gov. Ralph Northam's medical school yearbook page and his subsequent admission that he wore blackface in 1984.

Why it matters: Herring is next in line of succession to become the state's governor after Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who is facing allegations of a 2004 sexual assault, which he has denied. In his statement, Herring did not offer to immediately resign but said that "honest conversations and discussions" would take place in "the days ahead." Herring said on Saturday that it was "no longer possible" for Northam to serve as governor after his blackface admission. Also on Wednesday, he resigned as the co-chairman of the Democratic Attorneys General Association.

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Rashaan Ayesh

Updated 19 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Colorado police chief fires officers who reenacted Elijah McClain's death

LaWayne Mosley, father of Elijah McClain, wears a t-shirt with is son's picture on it during a press conference in Oct. 2019. Photo: Andy Cross/MediaNewsGroup/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Interim Aurora, Colo., police chief Vanessa Wilson fired two officers for reenacting the death of 23-year-old Elijah McClain and a third officer for commenting on the photo that captured the "despicable act," The Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: McClain died in the summer of 2019 after police officers held him in a chokehold and paramedics used a sedative, ketamine. People have been protesting McClain's death recently after the police killing of George Floyd revitalized the movement against police brutality.

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Mike Allen

21 mins ago - Sports

Redskins expected to change name by September

Redskins helmet circa 1970. Photo: Nate Fine/Getty Images

A source close to the negotiations tells me there is "no question" the Washington Redskins are expected to change their name before the first kickoff this fall, scheduled for Sept. 10.

Worth noting: Team owner Dan Snyder told USA Today in 2013: "We'll never change the name ... It's that simple. NEVER — you can use caps."

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Axios

Updated 28 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 11,124,651 — Total deaths: 526,003 — Total recoveries — 5,905,310 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 2,808,003 — Total deaths: 129,476 — Total recoveries: 790,404 — Total tested: 34,213,497 — Map.
States: America's exceptionally uneventful Fourth of July — ICU beds in Arizona's hot spot reach near capacity.
Politics: Trump extends PPP application deadline — Kimberly Guilfoyle tests positive.
Public health: States where face coverings are mandatory — Fauci says it has been a "very disturbing week."
Business: The economy may recover just quickly enough to kill political interest in more stimulus.
Sports: 31 MLB players test positive as workouts resume.
1 📽 thing: Drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.