North Carolina’s Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has swiftly appointed his next chief of staff amid the resignation of several employees from his office and gubernatorial campaign. This move comes in response to a recent CNN report accusing Robinson of posting racially and sexually charged comments on an online message board, resulting in the departure of at least a dozen staff members.
Robinson announced the promotion of Deputy Chief of Staff Krishana Polite to the position of chief of staff in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. He expressed confidence in Polite, describing her as a valuable asset to the state administration. The current Chief of Staff, Brian LiVecchi, revealed his resignation, along with three other office workers, effective October 1st.
The departures in Robinson’s office and campaign surfaced shortly after senior adviser disclosed that eight top staff members, including himself, were stepping down. Robinson, vying to become the first Black governor of North Carolina, stated his intention to rebuild his campaign team. The Republican Governors Association has withdrawn support for Robinson, and former President Donald Trump, who previously endorsed Robinson, has remained silent about him at recent rallies in North Carolina.
The personnel shake-up occurs as Robinson faces Democratic nominee Josh Stein in the upcoming election and as absentee voting has commenced. Robinson has faced scrutiny over inflammatory comments, including those highlighted in the CNN report. His campaign has hired a Virginia law firm to investigate the allegations, denouncing them as false smears orchestrated to tarnish his reputation before the election.
Despite denying the messages attributed to him, Robinson’s past controversial remarks on various issues have been utilized by his opponents in ads and online campaigns. The Democratic camp, including Kamala Harris’ campaign and party, seeks to juxtapose Robinson with Trump to sway North Carolina voters. Robinson’s attorney has emphasized a thorough investigation to uncover the origins of the reported statements before the election.
CNN, the source of the report on Robinson’s online comments, has not responded to the accusations made against the Lieutenant Governor. The network’s investigation allegedly linked the online messages to Robinson based on identifiable information, prompting further scrutiny of his online activity and statements.