Gov. Bill Lee will not attend fundraiser for North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson
Gov. Bill Lee will not attend fundraiser for North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson
    Posted on 09/21/2024
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will not travel to North Carolina next week for a previously scheduled fundraiser for embattled North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in support of his gubernatorial bid, Lee's office confirmed Friday.

"The fundraiser was canceled earlier this week and Gov. Lee will not be attending," Lee spokeswoman Elizabeth Johnson told The Tennessean.

The $500 per ticket fundraiser with Lee had been set to be held at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, according to Robinson’s fundraising website.

Lee was billed as hosting the event as part of his role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. It's not clear when the governor agreed to attend the fundraiser. The Republican Governor's Association did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The cancellation comes as CNN this week reported numerous inflammatory remarks Robinson made on social media and pornographic websites before becoming involved in politics. According to CNN’s reporting, Robinson years ago declared himself a “black NAZI!”, made comments supporting slavery sharing that “I would certainly buy a few,” and shared graphic sexual fantasies and stories in comments made on the pornographic website “Nude Africa” between 2008 and 2012.

Robinson has denied ever having made the comments, denouncing them as “salacious tabloid trash” leaked by his Democratic opponent North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. He has vowed not to drop out of the race.

“You know my words, you know my character, and you know that I have been completely transparent in this race and before,” Robinson said in a video Thursday.

An email address belonging to Robinson was also previously registered with Ashley Madison, a website for married people seeking affairs, Politico reported Thursday. Robinson’s campaign denies that he ever created or used the account.

Lee’s office did not respond to inquiries on whether the governor considers Robinson a man of character that he can faithfully endorse.

Several Tennessee lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, met Robinson during a $100 per ticket Constitution Day dinner in Franklin hosted by the 917 Society this week.

Robinson has plummeted in the polls in recent weeks, with Stein carrying a 14 percentage point lead in a Sept. 7 Survey USA poll, concerning Republican commentators who fear his underperformance could hurt former President Donald Trump’s chances in the swing state.

Robinson had been scheduled to speak at a Trump rally on Saturday but is no longer expected to attend the event after CNN's reporting, AP reported.
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