The GOP controls the Virginia legislature by a slim margin. This charade gives them political cover to ignore the @sshole entirely -- no matter how much "steppin' and fetchin'" he does for the progressive wing of the Democrat Party.
The Dems are certainly more frantic to have Northam resign than the Republicans are. He’s an albatross around the Dems neck on both the infanticide issue and the racial issue.
The Dems in Virginia have not treated Lt. Gov. Fairfax very well - he just doesn’t seem to have the right connections or something. From a Clarice Feldman article: Three weeks before the election, he [Northam, but you know the Dems were involved] removed from flyers the name and photograph of Justin Fairfax, the black man running on his own ticket for lieutenant governor. In 2016, Fairfax was denied a speaking slot at the Democratic Party of Virginia’s state convention and dinner.” Now the story of sexual assault is out there ... just because the Compost spiked it doesn’t mean there isn’t some “there” there. So ... Fairfax is being dirtied up already.
I think the Dems “long game” is to get Northam to resign, sacrifice Fairfax on the altar of #metoo (he’d have to resign) - who is next? The odious, horrific Atty General Mark Herring ... gun grabber extraordinaire, someone who doesn’t care about the law if it suits his personal political objectives and a radical Progressive on steroids, compared to Northam or even Fairfax. Now that would be a “coup” for the Progressive Left.