Robinson’s scandal remains unresolved, as NC Republicans dodge the issue

It’s been approximately three weeks since news of Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s disturbing online behavior surfaced in a CNN report. That’s three weeks since Robinson vigorously denied the allegations, and since Republicans used Robinson’s denial to avoid criticizing him.

According to CNN, Robinson posted lewd and racist comments on a pornography website more than a decade ago — comments in which he called himself a “Black Nazi” and expressed support for reinstating slavery.

Republicans hedged by saying Robinson owed the people of North Carolina “answers” and called on him to provide concrete evidence that CNN’s report was untrue. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, for example, called on Robinson to disprove the allegations and take legal action against CNN to clear his name. Hal Weatherman, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor whose face is plastered alongside Robinson’s on campaign signs across the state, also called on Robinson to prove his innocence.

Robinson says he has hired a legal team — led by a lawyer who represented Donald Trump in his attempts to overturn the 2020 election as well as in more recent legal battles — and vowed to go after CNN for spreading “salacious tabloid lies.” Both Robinson and his attorney promised to move “quickly” in order to resolve the matter before the upcoming election. But that was nearly two weeks ago. Robinson has yet to provide any evidence or take any official legal action.

Robinson’s campaign has not provided any further information about the matter, despite inquiries from various media outlets. WUNC reported that Robinson’s campaign did not respond when asked for updates and a timeline on when the law firm might release its findings. A spokesperson for Robinson’s campaign did not respond to my request for comment, either.

But Robinson and his campaign aren’t the only ones who have remained silent on the matter. When the reports surfaced, Tillis even went so far as to issue an ultimatum: disprove the allegations by Friday, or the party needs to “move on.” But it’s been two weeks since that deadline expired, and Tillis has shown no sign of taking action on it. Tillis’ office did not respond to a request for comment.

Weatherman, who said at the time that Robinson’s “entire campaign strategy should be focused on proving the allegations false,” did not respond to a request for comment, either. House Speaker Tim Moore has said he stands by his endorsement of Robinson, but Senate leader Phil Berger hedged when speaking to reporters last week.

Of course, other serious events have replaced Robinson’s scandal in the news cycle. And, twisted as it may be, Robinson has seemingly tried to reap the benefits of those events. He has taken full advantage of the devastation in Western North Carolina caused by Hurricane Helene through photo ops and social media posts, even going as far as to improperly criticize the state’s response and run Facebook ads with pictures of himself comforting flood victims.

Asked at a recent campaign event if he’s filed a lawsuit against CNN, Robinson appeared to resort to more stalling tactics.

“Not yet, but that is coming and that’s one of the things we plan on doing. We have a law firm handling that while we continue to campaign and help the people of western North Carolina,” Robinson said, according to CBS 17.

Robinson may be trying to run away from his scandal, but that doesn’t mean his fellow Republicans should let him. Because as much as Robinson is stalling, they’re stalling, too. It’s far easier to deflect and delay than it is to take the more difficult step of criticizing one of their party’s top candidates, let alone call for him to step down. If they dodge the matter altogether, they don’t have to say what they actually think. It’s the easier choice — and the cowardly one.