(The Center Square) – Amid the quiet of many Republican candidates in North Carolina, Hal Weatherman spoke out Tuesday afternoon on the situation involving the man he hopes to succeed.
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, his campaign torched by a CNN report last Thursday, has routinely campaigned together with Weatherman. The latter is dueling closely with Democratic state Sen. Rachel Hunt; the former was once polling ahead of Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein for governor.
CNN said it authenticated its findings based on biographical information of Robinson compared to the poster on multiple websites, and a common email address. Weatherman, former chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, said it’s on Robinson to clear his name.
On social media, Weatherman wrote, “He should conclusively and quickly prove false the allegations against him. If he can prove this isn’t true and was fabricated to hurt him, he will win in a landslide. But if he fails to do so, he will lose, because the comments being attributed to him are highly disturbing.
“His entire campaign strategy should be focused on proving the allegations false. During this process I and the other Republican candidates need to stay focused on winning our own races.”
Thursday’s report from CNN was under the headline, “‘I’m a black NAZI!’: NC GOP nominee for governor made dozens of disturbing comments on porn forum.”
In a social media post Monday afternoon, Robinson wrote, “I am in the process of retaining aggressive legal counsel to investigate who did this and how; we will leave no stone unturned and will use every legal means to hold CNN accountable for perpetrating these lies.”
A replaying video was atop the story with comments he made 14 years ago. The story refers to comments he made between 2008 and 2012.
Weatherman emerged from a crowded 10 candidate field to win the primary, including a runoff with Jim O’Neill. Hunt, daughter of record-setting Gov. Jim Hunt, won a three-candidate primary.
Robinson didn’t enter politics until running for lieutenant governor in 2020, his meteoric rise sparked by a 2018 appearance commenting on Second Amendment rights at a Greensboro City Council meeting. He’s been a regular at appearances by Donald Trump in the state; however, he was not when the president visited Wilmington on Saturday.
