Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine expressed horror on Thursday at a Rolling Stone story about the widespread rape crisis at the University of Virginia.
“Horrific story, horrific,” said Kaine as he and Warner, both Democrats, walked toward a Democratic lunch.
“I’ve got three daughters this age and they’re outraged,” said Warner.
Later, Kaine spoke at length about the story, which details the brutal fallout one student faced after telling a UVA dean that she was gang-raped in the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house.
“I’m most interested to see what the university’s response is,” he said, “not really what they say in response, but what they do in response.”
When asked about the best way to handle fraternity cultures that foster rape, he said “it is not uncommon” to see fraternities get suspended or expelled.
“There’s gotta be some very strong action there,” he continued.
Then I asked if Kaine thought the fraternity should be kicked off campus, assuming the allegations of gang rape in the Phi Kappa Psi house are true.
“I wouldn’t want to say—I don’t want to make the comment about it, because I don’t know what the rules are on campus,” he said. “But I just know I read articles about fraternities being suspended and kicked off all the time. You gotta dig into it and find out, is it true?”
Update, 10:54 p.m.: Kaine’s office emailed with an additional comment from the Senator. “If the law enforcement and school investigations into these allegations are found to be true, the organizations and individuals involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Senator Kaine.
