The Latest: Gov. Northam attends state trooper funeral

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Latest on fallout from scandals roiling Virginia’s top officials (all times local):

11:05 a.m.

Virginia’s governor has made his first official public appearance since he denied appearing in a racist yearbook photo and admitted to wearing blackface.

Gov. Ralph Northam was in attendance at Saturday’s funeral for a state trooper killed in a shootout. Northam was not listed as a speaker in the funeral program.

The service in the town of Chilhowie for Lucas B. Dowell was four hours west of the political tumult in Richmond.

Northam has ignored calls to resign for the past week after a racist photo surfaced from his medical school yearbook. He also admitted to wearing blackface as part of a Michael Jackson costume.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is facing calls to resign after two women accused him of sexual assault. He has vehemently denied the allegations.

Attorney General Mark Herring also faces heavy criticism after he admitted to wearing blackface in college.

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The head of Virginia’s House of Delegates is calling for the resignation of Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax.

House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox said in a statement Saturday that Fairfax’s ability to govern has been “permanently impaired” by “multiple, serious credible allegations” of sexual assault made recently by two women.

Earlier this week, a college professor accused Fairfax of assaulting her at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. A second woman came forward on Friday, accusing Fairfax of rape. Fairfax has emphatically denied both allegations and said he won’t resign.

The Republican Cox is third in line should Gov. Ralph Northam resign over a racist yearbook photo that surfaced last week. Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring – who is also embroiled in a racist controversy – are ahead of Cox.