NC’s Mark Robinson Sues CNN, Denies Claims of Explicit Posts \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN on Tuesday, accusing the network of falsely linking him to explicit and inflammatory posts on a pornography website’s message board. The lawsuit, which also targets a Greensboro musician, seeks $50 million in damages, alleging that the network recklessly damaged Robinson’s reputation as he campaigns to become the state’s first Black governor. Robinson, who denies the accusations, claims his personal data was compromised in previous breaches and that the allegations are part of a coordinated attack to derail his gubernatorial bid.
Mark Robinson’s Defamation Lawsuit Against CNN: Quick Looks
- Defamation claims: Robinson’s lawsuit accuses CNN of reckless reporting after the network linked him to explicit online posts, despite his data being compromised in prior breaches.
- Denial of allegations: Robinson denied the claims, calling them a politically motivated smear campaign designed to damage his gubernatorial campaign.
- $50 million lawsuit: Robinson also sued musician Louis Love Money, who alleged Robinson frequented a porn shop in the 1990s, further damaging his reputation.
- Political fallout: The allegations have caused significant damage to Robinson’s campaign, leading to the resignation of key staff members and the withdrawal of financial support from the Republican Governors Association (RGA).
Deep Look
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN, seeking $50 million in damages after the network aired a report accusing him of making explicit racial and sexual comments on a pornography website’s message board. The lawsuit, filed in Wake County Superior Court on Tuesday, marks the latest development in the political battle surrounding Robinson as he campaigns to become North Carolina’s first Black governor. Robinson, a Republican known for his conservative views, has denied the allegations and accused CNN of reckless and defamatory reporting.
At the heart of the lawsuit is a September 19 CNN report that alleged Robinson authored inflammatory and sexually explicit posts over a decade ago on a message board associated with the pornography website NudeAfrica. The posts, according to CNN, included comments where the account holder referred to himself as a “black NAZI,” expressed a preference for Adolf Hitler over then-President Barack Obama, and disparaged civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The posts also allegedly discussed enjoying transgender pornography.
CNN stated that it connected the account on the pornography website to Robinson by comparing usernames, email addresses, and personal details such as Robinson’s age, length of marriage, and specific speech patterns. The network reported that it used these details to match the account holder’s profile to other online accounts linked to Robinson.
Robinson’s lawsuit contends that CNN disregarded key evidence that should have raised doubts about the report’s veracity, particularly the fact that Robinson’s personal information—including his name, date of birth, and email address—was compromised in several previous data breaches. “CNN chose to publish despite knowing or recklessly disregarding that Lt. Gov. Robinson’s data had been compromised,” the lawsuit states. Robinson’s legal team argues that the network failed to verify whether the explicit posts were actually written by him or by someone who accessed his compromised data.
During a press conference in Raleigh, Robinson strongly denied the allegations, describing the report as a politically motivated attempt to undermine his gubernatorial campaign. “This is nothing but a high-tech lynching,” Robinson said. “From the very beginning, I’ve been targeted by people who disagree with me politically, and now they want to destroy my candidacy.”
Robinson, who is running to succeed Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, has positioned himself as a staunch conservative with a focus on issues like religious freedom, Second Amendment rights, and opposition to abortion. If elected, he would make history as North Carolina’s first Black governor, a fact that has further amplified his campaign’s national profile. However, the CNN report has dealt a major blow to his political momentum, as polls indicate his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, has gained an edge since the report’s publication.
In addition to suing CNN, Robinson’s lawsuit also targets Louis Love Money, a musician from Greensboro who made related claims in a music video and media interviews. Money, who worked at a porn shop in the 1990s, alleged that Robinson was a regular customer who spent hours at the store watching adult films and purchasing videos. Robinson vehemently denies these claims, asserting in the lawsuit, “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.”
In an interview on Tuesday, Money stood by his allegations, claiming his account of Robinson’s frequent visits to the porn shop is accurate. “My story hasn’t changed,” Money said. His video, which detailed these allegations, gained attention shortly before CNN’s report, adding to the public scrutiny around Robinson’s campaign.
Robinson’s lawsuit characterizes the accusations from both CNN and Money as part of a coordinated effort to derail his bid for governor. While the lawsuit provides no direct evidence of collusion between the network and other parties, Robinson’s lawyer, Jesse Binnall, suggested that more individuals or entities could be involved. “We expect to find more bad actors,” Binnall said during the press conference, adding that his legal team plans to use subpoena power to uncover additional information. Binnall, who has previously represented former President Donald Trump, accused CNN of acting with “reckless disregard” for the truth in its reporting.
In defamation cases involving public figures, plaintiffs must prove that the defendant either knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Robinson’s legal team will argue that CNN failed to adequately investigate whether the compromised data could have led to someone else impersonating Robinson online.
The fallout from the allegations has significantly impacted Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign. Many of Robinson’s top staff members resigned following the CNN report, and the Republican Governors Association, which had previously spent millions backing Robinson’s campaign, withdrew its financial support. Robinson’s campaign is no longer running television ads and has instead shifted its focus to in-person events and voter outreach.
Robinson’s controversial remarks on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, and religion had already drawn criticism from Democrats, including Stein, who has portrayed Robinson as an extremist unfit for office. Stein’s campaign has run a series of ads highlighting Robinson’s past inflammatory comments, furthering the narrative that he is out of touch with mainstream North Carolina voters. “Even before the CNN report, North Carolinians have known for a long time that Mark Robinson is completely unfit to be Governor,” said Stein’s spokesperson Morgan Hopkins in a statement.
Despite the challenges, Robinson remains a prominent figure within North Carolina’s Republican Party and retains the endorsement of key conservative figures, including former President Donald Trump. Trump, who endorsed Robinson ahead of the March gubernatorial primary, once praised the lieutenant governor’s rhetorical skills, calling him “Martin Luther King on steroids.” However, since the CNN report was published, Robinson has not appeared at any Trump campaign events.
In an effort to shift the narrative and repair his damaged reputation, Robinson has focused on relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. Over the past week, he worked with a central North Carolina sheriff to collect and distribute supplies to storm victims, using the opportunity to criticize Gov. Cooper’s administration for what he described as a slow and inadequate response to the disaster. Robinson’s work on hurricane relief briefly shifted attention away from the CNN controversy, but the allegations continue to loom over his campaign.
As the legal battle unfolds, Robinson’s gubernatorial bid faces an uncertain future. Early voting in North Carolina begins on Thursday, with more than 57,000 absentee ballots already returned. While Robinson has expressed confidence in his legal team’s ability to clear his name, the impact of the CNN report and ongoing media coverage of the lawsuit could have lasting effects on his campaign.
Robinson’s lawyer, Binnall, vowed to pursue every legal avenue to hold CNN accountable, stating, “We will use every tool at our disposal to get to the truth.” However, the road to clearing Robinson’s name and rebuilding his campaign will likely be long and arduous.
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