Remember Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s KKK/blackface yearbook scandal? Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s alleged sexual predation? How about Virginia AG Mark Herring’s blackface scandal? Of course you do. But many others don’t. And the New York Times is trying to figure out why that might be the case:

‘It Just Went Poof’: The Strange Aftermath of Virginia’s Cascade of Political Scandals – The New York Times ⁦@campbellnyt⁩ goes back to Richmond > https://t.co/QNMgCEMgnU — Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) April 2, 2019

Campbell Robertson writes:

And then? “It just went poof,” said Natalie Draper, a librarian sitting in the back of a coffeehouse last week in Richmond. “It’s like it never happened.” Virginians have various theories as to how this surreal normalcy set in. Some say the whole mess was so exhausting and embarrassing that by the time the legislature adjourned on Feb. 24, the outrage had burned itself out. Others point to polls that showed Virginia voters were considerably less hungry for resignations than their representatives were. Some political observers mused about more fundamental changes to the life span of scandal, describing President Trump’s approach to bad press as if it were a revolutionary medical breakthrough.

So weird how that happened https://t.co/JpZPJO3lEq — Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) April 2, 2019

Totally impossible to know why — It Gets Worse (@NedScrumpleton) April 2, 2019

Wow yeah how did that happen? How did a major news story just *disappear* out the news, the news outlet wondered aloud. Why no marches or shrieking mobs banging down doors? We may never know the answer. None of us were there. https://t.co/pv7WmgFOuk — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 2, 2019

Here’s a theory for the New York Times: Maybe — just maybe — “it just went poof” because the media were only too eager to help flush it down the memory hole.

I mean I get it. A sitting governor partying in blackface and rape accusations against the sitting LT. governor can’t really be dealt with until we find out what this person over here thinks about Lupita Nyong'o’s voice in Us. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 2, 2019

We stopped covering a story and it just went poof. It’s a mystery wrapped in a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in blackface. — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 2, 2019

If only there were people in some sort of profession whose job it is to find out what is going on in government and inform the masses–like a paper full of news. — JeffC (@JeffChrz) April 2, 2019

Yes tell us more firefighter lol — Steven (@brother_steve) April 2, 2019

They’ll get to the bottom of this mystery eventually. Maybe.

Scholars will be debating this for ages to come… unless they just forget about it all together. — Im a Person (@ScarcePat) April 2, 2019

Yes, so strange how when the MSM decides to not keep reporting on stories that they fade to the background. Its almost as if it matters which party a pol belongs to whether or not the MSM cares about an offense committed or alleged. — PRob (@615CPA) April 2, 2019

There are 26 letters in our alphabet, but D may be the most powerful letter of all.

(D) — Jay Tee Ell Oh Ell (@jtLOL) April 2, 2019

If I had to guess, I'd guess it had something to do with the (D)s by their names. — Elenti (@ScarletElenti) April 2, 2019

One word: Democrats. — Cooper's mom (@rwgranny) April 2, 2019