Mark Robinson Sues CNN for $50 Million Over Coverage of Scandals That Derailed Campaign for Governor
October 15, 2024 @ 7:34 PM
North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson sued CNN and co-defendant Louis Love Money for defamation following the networkâs reporting about past behavior that dealt massive damage to his campaign. Robinson has asked to be awarded at least $50 million.
Robinson claims the harm to his political fortunes by the report, which detailed comments he made in a pornographic chatroom between 2008 and 2012, was deliberate. He alleges that it âappears to be a coordinated attack aimed at derailingâ his campaign.
Louis Love Money, referred to simply as Money through the documents, is included in the lawsuit because he is the singer of the local punk band Trailer Park Orchestra. He and his band released a music video for their song âThe Lt. Governor Owes Me Moneyâ on Aug. 11, 2024, that Robinson believes shows âa man in a suit, wearing a generic rubber mask of a black man, intended to depict Lt. Gov. Robinson.â
The man âenters a pornography video store to view and purchase pornographic videosâ and Money ârepeatedly addresses the song to âMarkâ and to âMr. Robinson,â further identifying the subject as the âfirst black manâ to hold the title of lieutenant governor.â The songâs lyrics âfalsely accuseâ Robinson of âowing money for a âbootlegâ porn video that Defendant Money supposedly produced for him.â
Money was later interviewed about the video and that interview was the basis of CNNâs reporting on Robinson, the filing indicates. CNN published its own piece about Robinson on Sept. 19 that âfalsely attributes statements allegedly made on a pornographic website, NudeAfrica.com, under the username âminisoldrâ as being authored by Lt. Gov. Robinson.â
Lawyers for Robinson sent a retraction demand to CNN on Oct. 1, the documents also state. The network refused his demand.
Despite Robinsonâs claims that the reports are untrue, CNN reported he stated his full name and a frequently used email address on Nude Africa. Many of the comments appear to defy Robinsonâs purported political stances now.
âI like watching tranny on girl porn,â he wrote. âThatâs fâking hot! It takes the man out while leaving the man in! And yeah Iâm a âpervâ too!â
Robinson also admitted to spying on girl as they showered when he was 14. He also referred to himself as a âBlack Nazi.â
The report on the comments led to a mass exodus of Robinsonâs senior staff on Oct. 1. Those who left included chief of staff and general counsel Brian LiVecchi; policy director Jonathan Harris; director of communications John Wesley Waugh; and director of government affairs Nathan Lewis.
The scandal isnât Robinsonâs first. In July 2023 he told attendees at a far-right Moms for Liberty event, âWhether youâre talking about Adolf HitlerâŠIt is time for us to get back and start reading some of those quotes.â