RICHMOND, Va. -- Former Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder says that he does not accept responsibility for any non-consensual sexual contact and will file a contesting statement after an investigation revealed that he kissed a 20-year-old student without her consent.
An investigation into Wilder's actions found that Wilder kissed a VCU student without her consent the Washington Post first reported and CBS 6 News confirmed with the student's mother.
In a statement released Monday, Wilder said that he has filed a contesting statement "outlining the violations, bias and inherent flaws in the investigation."
The investigation launched earlier this year after Sydney Black, 22, accused Wilder of making inappropriate advances toward her while she worked for the 88-year-old former politician and educator at the VCU government school that bears his name.
Sources told WTVR CBS 6 an independent investigation cleared Wilder of the "sexual exploitation, sex- or gender-based discrimination, and retaliation," claims Black levied.
Previous reporting indicated Black alleged Wilder took her to dinner, bought her drinks, and brought her back to his Richmond condo to celebrate her 20th birthday in 2017. It was at the condo, that Black said Wilder kissed her.
She reported the alleged incident to VCU officials in December 2018, months after she withdrew from the university. She later re-enrolled in January 2019.
A police report was filed on January 3, 2019, for a February 16, 2017, simple assault.
Wilder had until July 16 to contest the finding that he is responsible for non-consensual sexual contact, which would trigger a hearing by VCU’s Review Panel to determine whether the investigation was conducted properly.
