An independent investigation conducted into a racist photograph on Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook page could not
An independent investigation conducted into a racist photograph on Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook page could not “conclusively determine the identity of either individual depicted in the photograph.”
“No individual that we interviewed has told us from personal knowledge that the Governor is in the photograph, and no individual with knowledge has come forward to us to report that the Governor is in the photograph,” said a report released Wednesday by the law firm that conducted the investigation, McGuireWoods.
The investigation also did not “conclusively determine the origin of the photograph,” which surfaced earlier this year, depicting one person in blackface and another dressed in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robes.
Wednesday’s report is the latest chapter in a controversy that at times threatened to end Northam’s governorship.
When the photo first surfaced in early February, Northam, a former pediatric neurosurgeon and Army doctor, initially confirmed he was one of the people in the yearbook photo and apologized. He reversed course the following day, saying he did not believe he was pictured after all, but revealing he once darken his face to resemble Michael Jackson during a 1984 dance competition. He also vowed to stay in office and help the state heal, despite calls for his resignation.
In a statement after the report’s release, Northam reiterated his position that he’s not in the photograph.
