Sen. Joe Fain concedes to Democratic challenger amid rape accusation
Washington State Senator Joe Fain conceded to his opponent, Mona Das, Friday night.
“I look forward to supporting her during the transition in any way I can” Fain wrote in Facebook post.
He posted to Facebook just hours after the latest King County ballot drop showed Das extending her lead to more than 500 votes. If Fain had stayed in the race, there would almost assuredly have been a recount.
Once a rising star in the state Legislature and state GOP party, Fain’s re-election was clouded by accusations by former Seattle city official Candace Faber that he’d raped her in 2007 after a drunken Georgetown graduation party in Washington, D.C.
After the accusations were made in Septemberlast month, Fain’s spokesperson denied the accusation.
"I was shocked to learn that I was being accused of the conduct she has described as my memory of the events do not coincide with her allegations," Fain said in a statement then through his spokesperson. "I am again asking that she be afforded the utmost respect during what I believe must be a difficult time for her as well."
Fain’s decision to concede comes after the state Senate announced an independent investigation into the accusations against him. His Facebook statement did not address Faber’s claim that he raped her.
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Gil Aegerter
Gil edits feature pieces and helps guide staff reporters through their stories. He previously served as interim digital director and online managing editor at KUOW. Before that he spent seven years with NBCNews.com, where he was variously a senior editor, editor-producer and features editor. He also worked 25 years as a newspaper editor in Anchorage, Alaska, San Diego, Wilmington, N.C., and Seattle. He also was a freelance researcher for NBC Olympics for the Games in Atlanta; Sydney, Australia; Salt Lake City; Athens; and Torino, Italy. He is a graduate of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, with a degree in photojournalism.
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