Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia is having a hell of a week and he has nobody to blame but himself.
It all started on Saturday when the antigay Republican’s campaign attacked a 17-year-old on Twitter, doxing the minor by sharing his name and photo after he called out Youngkin for trying to erase history.
The high school student retweeted a news story that suggested Youngkin was quashing efforts pursued under two previous governors to highlight the history of enslaved people at the governor’s mansion.
Related: Jerry Falwell Jr. wants Virginia to secede to a different state where people can be more homophobic
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“Team Youngkin,” the official Twitter account for the governor’s campaign, quickly went on the defensive by posting a photo of the teenager with former Gov. Ralph Northam at a Democratic fundraiser last October.
“Here’s a picture of [teenager’s name] with a man that had a Blackface/KKK photo in his yearbook,” the campaign tweeted, along with the October photo alongside a racist picture from Northam’s 1984 medical school yearbook that resurfaced in 2019.
Almost immediately, people called Youngkin out for doxing a minor and promoting “a culture of toxicity”. Team Youngkin eventually deleted the tweet, but not before every major media outlet had already covered the story.
Speaking to the Washington Post over the weekend, the teenager said, “A governor’s campaign account has attacked a minor – to me that was a new low … it was up for over 12 hours. I received no apology, no communication, nothing.”
Related: GOP candidate Josh Mandel just mocked a queer teenager on Twitter because of course he did
Then yesterday, two days after the tweet had gone out, Youngkin finally issued a statement, blaming the whole thing on a staffer who he claims wasn’t authorized to tweet from the account.
“On Saturday night, an unauthorized tweet came from a campaign account,” he wrote. “I regret that this happened and it shouldn’t have. I have addressed it with my team. We must continue to work to bring Virginians together. There is so much more that unites us than divides us.”
On Saturday night, an unauthorized tweet came from a campaign account. I regret that this happened and it shouldn’t have. I have addressed it with my team. We must continue to work to bring Virginians together. There is so much more that unites us than divides us.
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) February 7, 2022
While running for governor in 2021, Youngkin largely avoided talking about LGBTQ issues, although he did tell the Associated Press that he feels “called to love everyone.” When asked whether he supports for same-sex marriage, however, he said no then abruptly ended the interview.
Related: Obama calls out GOP: “Are we still arguing about gay marriage? Really?”
Afterwards, President Obama, speaking at a rally for Youngkin’s Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, said, “Are we still arguing about gay marriage? Really? I thought that was pretty clearly the right thing to do.”
Here’s how people are responding to Youngkin’s non-apology…
It’s Monday morning , dude. Amazing sense of urgency. https://t.co/KTEW0a6Wsg
— PoliticOhMyGawd (@PoliticOhMyGawd) February 7, 2022
That’s a pretty crappy apology to a 17 year old.
— Master of Snark (@MasterOfSnark) February 7, 2022
Can you name one thing you’ve done in your first month in office that helps bring people together?
— Tim Fullerton (@TimFullerton) February 7, 2022
Attack a 17 year old does nothing to “bring Virginians together.”
You should be embarrassed, Governor.
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) February 7, 2022
Does regret constitute an apology?
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) February 7, 2022
Remember this tweet? So who is being fired? https://t.co/0c0UXCLPpl
— FeistyVeteran (@tillwoman) February 8, 2022
You do realize that at no point did you ACTUALLY apologize or accept personal responsibility right? The part you ACTUALLY regret is getting publically called out as a bully. We see you.
— THEE Barbara Davis, author (@bdavisauthor) February 7, 2022
You’re simply upset you’ve been called out. And now are taking no responsibility or offering a suitable apology.
— Kristen (@GreenKristenL) February 7, 2022
Where is the apology for the attack on a teen? Your son purposely tried to vote twice, and you wanted everyone to leave him alone. You have staff that should be fired for this attack on Ethan, but they really are just a reflection of you, aren’t they?
— Lily Bergeron (@Lily_Warrior) February 7, 2022
Now, apologize to the high school student.
— (@ChidiNwatu) February 7, 2022
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Kangol2
GOP creep!
Cam
Notice how Younkin’s kid committed voter fraud purposely yet he didn’t even get investigated? Meanwhile a Black woman who asked for her voting rights to be reinstated, and was approved got 6 years because the judge said the probation dept. shouldn’t have allowed her to vote, so she must have tricked them.
Why wasn’t Younkin’s kid charged?
Mack
Didn’t he attempt several times after being told he was too young the first time? This is the Republican Party, the blame the Democrats for what the Republicans do. So far all the ones who have been caught have been Republicans and gotten slaps on the wrist where one black lady mistakenly voted and got 5 years.
jcool
the statute of limitations has certainly not expired, perhaps this would be a good time to re-evaluate his son’s case.
Dwight
His son attempted to vote twice as a minor. Turned away the first time and came back to try again later.
Mehki
This is what happens when you elect rich, entitled, privileged, narcissistic, sociopathic POS to public office.
James Hart
Sounds like you are describing half of all the Democrats running for office.
barryaksarben
What a punk ass fake apology from a shitty human being willing to attack a child yet screaming the whole time he is protecting childfen. FULL OF SHIT
Jaquelope
Does anyone else think it’s suspicious that it took so long for him to state his “regret”? It probably took that long to decide who else to blame for it, then finally say that it was done by someone unknown.
@James Hart : And the majority of the Republicans running, too.
dario717
republitards suck!
HMFan
Coming this Summer 2022! The Youngkin Backyard Infant Barbecue & Ribfest! Come for the barbecue but stay for the Satan Worshipping!