CNN has filed a motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, following a report alleging he made inflammatory and explicit posts on a pornography website’s message board over a decade ago. The case, filed in Raleigh federal court, centers on claims that the network defamed Robinson during his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign.
The Allegations Against Robinson
The CNN report aired in September, detailing alleged posts made by Robinson on the website NudeAfrica. These posts reportedly included statements in which Robinson referred to himself as a “Black Nazi,” expressed preferences for transgender pornography, compared Adolf Hitler favorably to then-President Barack Obama, and disparaged civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Robinson has denied making these posts, alleging that the account was fabricated through a hacking operation that misused his data.
CNN’s Defense
Attorneys for CNN argue that Robinson’s lawsuit fails to meet the legal standard required for public officials to prove defamation, which includes demonstrating actual malice.
“Robinson did not and cannot plausibly allege facts that show that CNN published the article with actual malice,” CNN attorney Mark Nebrig wrote in a filing. The network contends that it conducted thorough investigations before publishing the report.
The network claims it matched details from the account in question to Robinson through usernames, email addresses, and personal biographical details such as his marriage length, hometown, and his mother’s employment at a historically Black university. CNN also compared language patterns used by the account holder and Robinson’s social media posts.
“This is hardly a case where CNN disregarded or deliberately avoided the truth,” Nebrig said.
Impact on Robinson’s Campaign
The CNN report significantly impacted Robinson’s campaign for governor. The story led to an exodus of key campaign staff, withdrawal of advertising support from the Republican Governors Association, and distancing by prominent Republicans, including Donald Trump.
Ultimately, Robinson lost the gubernatorial race to Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein by nearly 15 points.
Robinson’s Lawsuit and Counterclaims
Robinson’s lawsuit alleges CNN relied on unverified information from a website known to have been compromised by hackers and failed to validate the authenticity of the posts. He is seeking monetary damages for reputational harm.
The lawsuit also named Louis Love Money, a former adult store employee, who alleged that Robinson was a frequent customer during the 1990s. Robinson has denied these allegations and included Money in the initial state lawsuit.
