North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against CNN, alleging that the network's report linking him to explicit and racially inflammatory posts on a pornography site was false and damaging to his gubernatorial campaign. The lawsuit, submitted in Wake County Superior Court, underscores the tense atmosphere in the state's upcoming election as Robinson seeks to counter the fallout from CNN's report and rebuild his political standing.
Robinson, who held a press conference Tuesday with his attorney Jesse Binnall in Raleigh, denied the allegations that he authored posts on the website NudeAfrica under the username "minisoldr." The lawsuit alleges that CNN acted recklessly by publishing the report, which Robinson claims was based on compromised data from previous breaches that included his name, date of birth, passwords, and email addresses.
The controversy erupted after CNN's September 19 report detailed a series of explicit messages allegedly posted by Robinson more than a decade ago. The posts, attributed to the "minisoldr" account, included self-identifications such as "Black NAZI" and derogatory comments about prominent figures like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. CNN's investigation linked the username to Robinson by cross-referencing it with other online accounts using the same handle, as well as matching biographical details and linguistic patterns from his public social media profiles.
Robinson, who would be North Carolina's first Black governor if elected, has vehemently denied the claims, calling CNN's reporting a "high-tech lynching" and accusing his political opponents of targeting him. "This is an attack on me as a candidate and a person from Day 1 by folks who disagree with me politically and want to see me destroyed," Robinson stated.
In addition to CNN, the lawsuit also names Louis Love Money, a singer in a Greensboro punk rock band who previously alleged in a music video and interviews that Robinson frequented a porn shop during the 1990s and early 2000s. Money claimed that Robinson purchased explicit videos from the store where he once worked. Robinson's lawsuit dismisses these claims, stating, "Lt. Gov. Robinson was not spending hours at the video store, five nights a week. He was not renting or previewing videos, and he did not purchase 'bootleg' or other videos from Defendant Money."
Money responded in a phone interview, asserting that he stands by his statements and that his story remains unchanged. Robinson's legal team contends that Money's allegations and CNN's report are part of a coordinated effort to undermine Robinson's candidacy, although no evidence was provided to support this assertion.
Robinson's attorney, Jesse Binnall, who has represented former President Donald Trump in other legal matters, indicated that the lawsuit is just the beginning. "We will use every tool at our disposal now that a lawsuit has been filed, including subpoena power, in order to continue pursuing the facts," Binnall said. He suggested that additional "bad actors" might emerge as the legal process unfolds.
Defamation cases involving public officials face a high bar in U.S. courts. Robinson must demonstrate that CNN knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. CNN declined to comment on the lawsuit when contacted, and spokesperson Emily Kuhn stated that the network stood by its reporting.
The fallout from CNN's report has significantly impacted Robinson's campaign. Many top staff members have resigned from both his campaign and his office. The Republican Governors Association, which had initially supported Robinson with significant advertising spending, has withdrawn its backing. In the days following the report, Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris and other down-ballot candidates, launched ads linking Robinson's comments to their Republican opponents, further intensifying the political battle in North Carolina.
Robinson's Democratic rival, Attorney General Josh Stein, has capitalized on the controversy, highlighting Robinson's past inflammatory comments on social issues, including abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Stein's campaign, which has consistently led in polls, responded to the lawsuit by reiterating its stance on Robinson's candidacy. "Even before the CNN report, North Carolinians have known for a long time that Mark Robinson is completely unfit to be Governor," Stein's spokesperson, Morgan Hopkins, said in a statement.
Robinson, who was endorsed by Donald Trump earlier in the campaign cycle, has not appeared at Trump's North Carolina events since the CNN report aired. The endorsement had previously bolstered Robinson's appeal among Trump's base, with the former president calling him "Martin Luther King on steroids" for his oratory skills. However, the allegations have complicated that alliance, with some high-profile Republicans distancing themselves from Robinson.
In a bid to pivot the focus of his campaign, Robinson has emphasized in-person events rather than television advertising, which his campaign has paused. He recently worked with local authorities to collect relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Helene, criticizing the state's response under Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection.
