NEW YORK -- In an interview that aired on CBS This Morning , Dr. Vanessa Tyson described in detail how she claimed Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax sexually assaulted her 15 years ago. Tyson claimed the assault happened in a Boston hotel room at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
In the interview, she explains to Gayle King that Fairfax -- invited her to the room to pick up some paperwork.
She then said the two started kissing on the bed. That consensual interaction ended when Fairfax then forced her to perform oral sex on him, she said.
“He's pushing down and pushing down -- and I couldn't hold my neck up. And I didn't know what was going on,” Tyson told King. “I honestly didn't know what was going on. And then the next thing I know, like, my head is, like, literally in his crotch. And I'm choking and gagging. And, you know, I couldn't say anything 'cause i'm choking and gagging.”
Tyson went on to say she did not speak with Fairfax following the alleged assault – and avoided him for the rest of the conference. She said she did not tell anyone about the events she said happened.
“I was so ashamed. I was so humiliated on-- on so many levels,” Tyson said. “Like, here I was this woman working at a rape crisis center, you know, trying to-- like, as a survivor speaker trying to empower survivors of sexual assault. And it was like I had just walked into a trap.”
Tyson also disclosed that she is a survivor of incest. She said Fairfax was aware of this when the alleged assault took place.
When King stated that Fairfax said the allegations were an orchestrated smear campaign against him, Tyson responded saying that she’s never met Meredith Watson, Fairfax’s other accuser.
“I think the Virginia people, the voters of Virginia, have a right to know, you know, both my story and Meredith's story,” Tyson said.
She added that she wants Lt. Governor Fairfax to resign.
Meanwhile, Fairfax released a new statement Sunday again denying these allegations.
In that statement he said he passed two polygraph exams regarding the alleged sexual assaults.
"The public has a right to know if serious allegations made against the Lt. Governor are true... but the public also has a right to know if they are false." Fairfax's attorney said in a statement.
CBS This Morning will air the second part of Gayle King's interview with Meredith Watson on Tuesday.
Watson said Fairfax assaulted her years earlier while they were both students at Duke University.
