The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Virginia's Eastern District, came in response to CBS interviews with the accusers the network conducted in February.
"Fairfax brings this action to restore his reputation and clear his name, ensure the truth prevails, stop the weaponization of false allegations of sexual assault against him, and vindicate his rights under civil law," the lawsuit says.
Fairfax has denied the accusations made by Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson. Tyson says Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex on him at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
Watson, who said Fairfax raped her while they attended Duke University, came forward in an interview with CBS's Gayle King.
The women went public with their accusations after many called on Gov. Ralph
CoonmanNortham
...Governor of Virginia, another Dem Great White Hope. He won election by calling his Publican opponent Ed Gillespie a racist, but then, don't they all?...(D) to resign after a photo from his medical school yearbook page resurfaced showing people in blackface. If Northam had resigned, Fairfax would have become governor.
"We stand by our reporting and we will vigorously defend this lawsuit," CBS News said in a statement to The Hill.
Related:
Justin Fairfax: 2019-06-23 Justin Fairfax Eyeing Bid for Virginia Governor, Claims Scandal Raised Profile
Justin Fairfax: 2019-02-27 Lawyers demand probe of Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax's rape allegations before Assembly adjourns
Justin Fairfax: 2019-02-25 Virginia's Fairfax compares himself to lynching victims
Justin Fairfax: 2019-06-23 Justin Fairfax Eyeing Bid for Virginia Governor, Claims Scandal Raised Profile
Justin Fairfax: 2019-02-27 Lawyers demand probe of Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax's rape allegations before Assembly adjourns
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Vanessa Tyson: 2019-02-27 Lawyers demand probe of Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax's rape allegations before Assembly adjourns
Vanessa Tyson: 2019-02-08 Meredith Watson: 2nd Woman Accuses Justin Fairfax of Rape
Vanessa Tyson: 2019-02-07 The complete and utter collapse of Virginia's Democratic Party (opens to video)
Vanessa Tyson: 2019-02-27 Lawyers demand probe of Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax's rape allegations before Assembly adjourns
Vanessa Tyson: 2019-02-08 Meredith Watson: 2nd Woman Accuses Justin Fairfax of Rape
Vanessa Tyson: 2019-02-07 The complete and utter collapse of Virginia's Democratic Party (opens to video)
Related:
Meredith Watson: 2019-06-23 Justin Fairfax Eyeing Bid for Virginia Governor, Claims Scandal Raised Profile
Meredith Watson: 2019-02-27 Lawyers demand probe of Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax's rape allegations before Assembly adjourns
Meredith Watson: 2019-02-09 Second woman accuses Virginia's Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault
Meredith Watson: 2019-06-23 Justin Fairfax Eyeing Bid for Virginia Governor, Claims Scandal Raised Profile
Meredith Watson: 2019-02-27 Lawyers demand probe of Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax's rape allegations before Assembly adjourns
Meredith Watson: 2019-02-09 Second woman accuses Virginia's Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault
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Ralph Northam: 2019-08-28 O’Rourke says abortion on day before a full-term birth is ‘a decision for the woman to make’
Ralph Northam: 2019-06-23 Justin Fairfax Eyeing Bid for Virginia Governor, Claims Scandal Raised Profile
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Ralph Northam: 2019-08-28 O’Rourke says abortion on day before a full-term birth is ‘a decision for the woman to make’
Ralph Northam: 2019-06-23 Justin Fairfax Eyeing Bid for Virginia Governor, Claims Scandal Raised Profile
Ralph Northam: 2019-04-20 Northam calls for Jefferson Davis arch on Fort Monroe to come down