“This is a high-tech lynching on a candidate who has been targeted by day one by folks who disagree with me politically and want to see me destroyed,” Robinson told reporters at a Raleigh press conference. “We are glad to take these first steps to fight back against what we consider to be one of the greatest examples of political interference in this state’s history.”
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is continuing to press claims that CNN defamed him by publishing a story tying the Republican politician to a series of bizarre and explicit comments on an online pornography forum.
In a recent press conference, Robinson, who allegedly described himself as a “black NAZI” in one of the forum posts, characterized the CNN articles a “high-tech” and politically motivated “lynching.”
“This is a high-tech lynching on a candidate who has been targeted by day one by folks who disagree with me politically and want to see me destroyed,” Robinson told reporters at a Raleigh press conference. “We are glad to take these first steps to fight back against what we consider to be one of the greatest examples of political interference in this state’s history.”
The lawsuit, writes the News & Observer, was filed in Wake County Superior Court and seeks at least $50 million in damages. Attorneys for Robinson allege that CNN intentionally defamed Robinson with its report, which the lieutenant governor has called “salacious tabloid lies.”
After CNN’s report was released, most of Robinson’s campaign staff—and about half of his official staff—resigned from their positions. The national Republican Governors Association also withdrew its support for Robinson’s election bid.
“When times of trouble come in this thing we call politics, it separates the strong folks from the weak,” said Robinson. “The weak will turn and run, and the strong will stand and fight—and that’s what we’re doing here today. We’re standing and fighting regardless of who turned and ran away from us, regardless of who doesn’t believe us.”
CNN’s report, notes the News & Observer, tied Robinson to a Nude Africa account named “minisoldr” by referencing its biographical data. Robinson is also believed to have used the name “minisoldr” on accounts used on different websites.
Journalists from POLITICO later revealed that their own investigation found that the Nude Africa account had been accessed from an IP address close to Robinson’s home in Greensboro, North Carolina.
However, attorneys for Robinson say that the account’s details were either misleading or falsified.
“As CNN is aware, people who create accounts on websites like NudeAfrica … prefer not to use their own names ands identities for obvious reasons,” the lawsuit alleges, emphasizing Robinson’s belief that CNN is a “politically left-wing media outlet, whose reporting is often indistinguishable from Democrat party [sic] talking points.”
“CNN knew that just weeks prior to its article, Lt. Gov. Robinson had been targeted by another ludicrous and dubiously sourced hit piece by The Assembly,” the lawsuit claims. “CNN knew that the election was less than two months away.”
Sources
Former porn shop worker calls defamation lawsuit by North Carolina lieutenant governor ‘bizarre’
Mark Robinson Sues CNN, Former Porn Shop Employee for Defamation
NC’s Mark Robinson sues CNN for $50 million over story revealing porn website posts
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