JD Vance Goes to Bat for Mark Robinson, Claims Explosive Porn Site Allegations “Aren’t Necessarily” True

As you’ve probably heard by now, last week, CNN reported that North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson allegedly wrote a series of racist, misogynistic, antisemitic, anti-Muslim posts on a porn website called “Nude Africa” between 2008 and 2012. And while Robinson has denied leaving the comments, not everyone appears to believe him—which might have something to do with the fact that they sound very much like many of the things he’s said aloud and written on social media under his own name.

Among those who seem to be skeptical of the Republican candidate’s denials? The four senior campaign staffers who have since quit their jobs. On Sunday, the campaign announced that campaign manager Chris Rodriguez, finance director Heather Whillier, deputy campaign manager Jason Rizk, and consultant and senior adviser Conrad Pogorzelski III had all decided to part ways with Robinson. In a statement that conspicuously made no mention of the bombshell report from CNN, Robinson said: “I appreciate the efforts of these team members who have made the difficult choice to step away from the campaign, and I wish them well in their future endeavors. I look forward to announcing new staff roles in the coming days.”

But hey, it’s not all bad news for the guy! Yes, his campaign appears to be imploding. And yes, he’s been credibly accused of graphically recounting spying on women showering in public bathrooms, using an antisemitic slur to describe Norman Lear, referring to Muslims as “little rag-headed bastards,” and writing, “I’m a black NAZI!”; “Slavery is not bad”; “I like watching tranny on girl porn!”; and, “If I was in the KKK I would have called [Martin Luther King Jr.] Martin Lucifer Koon!” But he seems to have an ally in vice presidential hopeful JD Vance, who went to bat for Robinson over the weekend.

Speaking to NBC Philadelphia over the weekend, Vance said, “the allegations are pretty far out there, of course, but I know allegations aren’t necessarily reality.” Asked if he believes Robinson’s denials, the Ohio senator offered this word salad: “I don’t not believe him, I don’t believe him—I just think that you have to let these things sometimes play out in the court of public opinion. He’s going to make whatever arguments he wants to make. I’m sure the news media and others are going to investigate these comments further.”

Donald Trump—who heartily endorsed Robinson earlier this year, calling him Martin Luther King Jr. “on steroids”—held a rally in North Carolina and didn’t mention Robinson by name. According to NBC News, the ex-president does not plan to withdraw his endorsement.

Speaking to ABC on Sunday, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie blamed Trump for the Robinson-based shit show that Republicans currently find themselves in, wherein they could conceivably lose North Carolina. “This was predictable,” Christie said. “Mark Robinson’s tenure in public life has shown erratic, sometimes highly offensive statements over and over again and Donald Trump supported him and endorsed him.… This is the problem for us Republicans. As long as Donald Trump is your recruiting agent for candidates in swing states, we’re going to continue to get our rear ends handed to us and Mark Robinson is not going to win this race, can’t win this race…the fact is this is going to be a tough race no matter what.”

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