October 16, 2024
Robinson’s defamation lawsuit argues that CNN’s reporting was ‘recklessly false’ although it did not offer any supporting evidence except that Robinson was a victim of ‘multiple data breaches.’
Mark Robinson, the GOP gubernatorial candidate for North Carolina, has sued CNN over its reporting in September that linked him to offensive comments on a porn site.
According to the New York Times, Robinson’s defamation lawsuit argues that CNN’s reporting was “recklessly false,” although it did not offer any evidence in support except to say that Robinson had been a victim of “multiple data breaches.”
CNN did not comment on the lawsuit, but previously said that it determined the account belonged to Robinson by matching his email address and the username on the website, Nude Africa, to other online accounts belonging to Robinson.
Per CNN’s reporting, the account discussed topics of conversation that matched Robinson’s interest and biographical information.
According to the lawsuit “CNN—a politically left-wing media outlet, whose reporting is often indistinguishable from Democrat party talking points and opposes politically conservative candidates for office, including Lt. Gov. Robinson—intended to damage Lt. Gov. Robinson’s gubernatorial run.”
Although Robinson’s campaign was already struggling before CNN’s report, the campaign was sent into a tailspin after it was released. Following the publication of the allegations against Robinson, Republican allies reportedly began deserting. The suit is seeking $50 million in damages.
According to the civil complaint, which was filed in Wake County Superior Court, Robinson also named Louis Money as a co-defendant in the lawsuit.
Money worked in several adult video stores during the 1990s and early 2000s, and told The Assembly in September 2024 that Robinson frequented pornography stores during that time in Greensboro, North Carolina.
According to the complaint, the comments CNN attributed to Robinson were actually “sourced from hacked, data breach files, obtained from the dark web.”
At an Oct. 15 press conference alongside his lawyer, Jesse Binnall, Robinson asserted that he intends to fight until the end.
“When times of trouble come in this thing we call politics, it separates the strong folks from the weak,” Robinson said. “The weak will turn and run, and the strong will stand and fight. And that’s what we’re doing here today.”
Binnall, who previously represented former President Donald Trump, declined to provide evidence supporting the lawsuit’s claims.
“We will have the opportunity to go forward and prove what we have put in the complaint, and we are confident in our ability to do that,” Binnall said.
Notably, Republicans, including Trump, who vouched for Robinson before the report surfaced, have backed away from publicly supporting Robinson. Some to have asked Robinson to drop out of the race and are concerned that an association with Robinson could damage Trump’s chances of winning North Carolina.
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