Virginia's Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax lashed out at his critics during a speech in the state Senate that had senators stunned into silence. Fairfax, accused by two black women of sexual assault, compared himself to Jim Crow–era lynching victims as he maintained his innocence.

"I've heard much about anti-lynching on the floor of this very Senate, where people were not given any due process whatsoever, and we rue that," Fairfax said, referencing legislation the General Assembly passed expressing "profound regret" for lynchings in Virginia between 1877 and 1950. "And we talk about hundreds, at least 100 terror lynchings that have happened in the Commonwealth of Virginia under those very same auspices. And yet we stand here in a rush to judgment with nothing but accusations and no facts and we decide that we are willing to do the same thing," Fairfax said. When he finished his five-minute impromptu speech, stunned senators sat in awkward silence. Fairfax, who is black, has been accused by two women of sexual assault. Both of the alleged victims are African American.

Cue the world's smallest violin.

Those who live by the smear die by the smear, and Democrats, who have been quick to rush to judgment against Republicans for a variety of transgressions, appear not able to take it when it's dished out.

Fairfax's political opponents took a dim view of his analogy to lynching:

Republican House Majority Leader Del. Todd Gilbert said Fairfax's comments about lynchings were highly inappropriate. "That is the worst, most disgusting type of rhetoric he could have invoked," Gilbert said. "It's entirely appropriate for him to talk about due process and we would intend to offer him every ounce of it, and he's welcome to take advantage of that anytime he would like."

It's not surprising that Fairfax would play the race card. It creates a feeling of solidarity with other black politicians. It worked:

But black lawmakers did not object to Fairfax's speech. "He said what he needed to say," said Sen. Mamie Locke. Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Del. Lamont Bagby said he's heard similar rhetoric from his constituents, who have expressed concerns that Fairfax is being treated unfairly because of his race.

So now we have to treat accusations against white males differently from those made against black males? Sheesh.

Both Governor Ralph Northam, accused of wearing blackface 30 years ago, and Fairfax are holding on. Calls for their resignations have fallen on deaf ears. The original furor over the allegations has died down. But at least one of his female accusers is talking to prosecutors in Massachusetts, where the alleged assault took place in 2004. The lt. governor isn't ready to skate yet.

It's doubtful that the Virginia Legislature will take any action against either of them, although Republicans will hold a hearing and have invited Fairfax's two accusers to testify. But the GOP holds slim majorities in both chambers — not enough to successfully impeach either man.

As for Fairfax, it takes a lot of moxie to compare yourself to lynching victims. Those unfortunates were murdered through no fault of their own. Fairfax got himself in this mess because he couldn't keep it zipped. That's a huge difference.