State lawmakers of both political parties and Gov. Jay Inslee agree the allegation of rape a Seattle woman lodged against state Sen. Joe Fain last week should be investigated.
What’s unclear is how an inquiry into the actions of the Auburn Republican should proceed.
Candace Faber on Sept. 27 publicly accused Fain of raping her in 2007 on the night she graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Faber first made the allegation in a tweet and later posted her story on Medium.
In that tweet, Faber wrote:
“@senatorfain, you raped me the night I graduated from Georgetown in 2007. Then you had the audacity to ask me to support your campaign. I’ve been terrified of running into you since moving home and seeing your name everywhere.
“I’m done being silent.”
As the Seattle Times reported, Fain has denied the allegations and wants a full investigation into the matter, asking “everyone to show respect to Ms. Faber and to the process.”
In a text message to The Associated Press, Fain wrote: “Any allegation of this serious nature deserves to be heard and investigated for all parties involved. I invite and will cooperate with any inquiry.”
A spokesperson for Gov. Jay Inslee last Friday said he “believes this is a very serious allegation that unquestionably deserves a full investigation by law enforcement officials.”
Reporter’s calls to Fain and his office were not returned.
Faber said she was inspired to come forward with her claims after watching Christine Blasey Ford testify about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In an online essay posted in June, Faber wrote that she met an unnamed Washington state lawmaker at the Capitol after she had graduated from Georgetown.
Faber wrote that they spent the night dancing, kissing, and that they “drank too much.”
In her essay, Faber said she walked the man back to his hotel and went to his room, where he pinned her to a bed, pulled down her dress and raped her.
In her statement on Sept. 27, Faber explained she did not make the man’s name public at that time because she thought she “could change the culture of sexual assault without needing to say his name.”
But, as Faber wrote on Medium:
“Until recently, I withheld my rapist’s name, even in private conversations. I hoped that I could help change the culture of sexual assault without needing to say his name. I no longer believe that to be the case. We cannot heal without accountability.
“Like Dr. Ford, I can no longer remain silent knowing that the man who raped me is in a position to influence the laws that govern my state and impact every woman who lives here. I do not believe that survivors have a civic duty to speak out. I believe that we have a civic duty to believe survivors,” she wrote.
Fain, 37, is the minority floor leader of the state Senate and represents the 47th Legislative District, which includes Auburn, Kent, Covington, Renton and Federal Way. He is running for re-election this year.
Faber, 35, was a civic technology advocate, who recently worked for the City of Seattle’s IT department.
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