Mark Robinson admits ‘I lied’ about CNN story

Former North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson admitted he lied about a bombshell CNN KFile investigation during the final months of his 2024 gubernatorial campaign, uncovering his extensive history of posting inflammatory and racist comments on a pornography website.

“Former North Carolina Lt”

CNN

Robinson initially denied the report and sued CNN for $50 million that fall as he marched on with his gubernatorial campaign.

CNN

Robinson eventually lost to current Democratic Gov. Josh Stein by more than 14 points.

Now, in a recent podcast interview, Robinson has acknowledged his deception and that he had an “obsession” with pornography and sex.

He says he lied about the CNN report to protect those around him, including President Donald Trump, because it was “the most expedient thing to do.”

CNN

“I won’t say that I completely lied, some of the things about the whole story. Some of it — there’s some truth to it,” Robinson said on Thursday.

“if I had to ignore the truth at that moment for their expediency, I felt like it was the right thing to do,” said Robinson.

CNN’s KFile reported in September 2024 that Robinson made a litany of inflammatory comments on a pornography website's message board a decade earlier, in which he called himself a “black NAZI!” and expressed support for reinstating slavery.

“Former North Carolina Lt”

CNN

The comments were made under an alias, minisoldr, that CNN was able to link to Robinson by matching numerous biographical details and a shared email address.

Robinson strongly denied the story to CNN in an interview at the time.

Despite pressure from Republicans to drop out of the race, Robinson remained in it and his staff quickly fled the campaign.

After leaving office, Robinson dropped the defamation lawsuit against CNN and vowed to retire from politics.

CNN

During a 90-minute interview on “After the Call,” a podcast hosted by Florida-based pastor Josh Hall, Robinson delved into his childhood, his struggles with his obsession with sex and pornography, and copped to some of the reporting in CNN’s story.

“More than anything, you know, allegations that I watched pornography and was involved with people that watched pornography, and that that was absolutely true,” Robinson said.

He said he is sharing this to help others struggling.

He also suggested that some things his online alias, minisoldr, posted were falsely attributed.

It is unclear what comments Robinson is referring to.

He also maintained that had he followed his instincts and replaced his staff in the summer before the election, he could have survived the scandal.

“I should have changed campaign teams in the summer and took my campaign in a completely different direction. And if I had, I believe even with the CNN scandal, I believe I still would’ve won that race,” he said.

When asked by the host if he could go back to that time and make that decision or own up to the story, Robinson didn’t hesitate.

“No, I’d do the exact same thing,” he said, adding that the story was “never about me.”

He argued it was about a cause bigger than him and that those involved would use him to destroy, the people around him, up to and including the president, they would do it.

And so I’d make the exact same decision.