Robinson won’t speak at local GOP event amid latest firestorm
Controversial North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has pulled the plug on a much-criticized speaking appearance at a GOP fundraiser, according to the Tenth Congressional District Republican Organization’s website.
The announcement that appeared Saturday noted “Our earlier speaker canceled, but we have secured a great Trump ally for this event!”
Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, had already generated negative publicity for downplaying the Holocaust and other inflammatory statements about Black Americans. This week brought additional heat after CNN reported he had posted offensive comments on a pornography website some years ago.
Robinson has denied making those comments and neither the Associated Press nor the Daily Herald have confirmed the remarks.
Robinson, who is Black, was to have appeared Sept. 29 at a Kenilworth fundraiser for the Tenth Congressional District Republican Organization, a state-registered political action committee chaired by Mark Shaw, an Illinois Republican State Central Committee member.
Other suburban Republican organizations and Democratic officials lambasted the choice of Robinson, who has been backed by Trump and was a speaker at the Republican National Convention in July.
“It's good that they canceled the event only after public pressure, but this should never have been considered in the first place,” Lake County Republican Party chair Keith Brin said.
Daily Herald reporter Russell Lissau contributed to this report.