Half of NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s state staff quits, days after campaign staff exodus
Posted on 09/26/2024
Days after a scandal upended Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s campaign for governor, most of his campaign staff resigned. Now much of his staff in the lieutenant governor’s office have resigned, too.
Robinson is the Republican candidate in the North Carolina governor’s race against Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein.
Robinson was the subject of a CNN report tying him to a series of vulgar, antisemitic, racist and sexually explicit posts on a pornographic website that included saying he was a “Black NAZI” and would buy enslaved people if slavery came back. Robinson denies that he wrote the posts.
Brian LiVecchi, who has served as Robinson’s chief of staff and general counsel for several years, confirmed his resignation to The News & Observer on Wednesday through Republican Sen. Benton Sawrey.
Sawrey, who represents Johnston County, also confirmed the resignations of Director of Government Affairs Nathan Lewis, Policy Director Jonathan Harris and Director of Communications John Wesley Waugh. That is half of Robinson’s staff in the lieutenant governor’s office.
The news comes the same day Robinson posted a video of himself on social media at a table in front of a laptop, saying that he met with top Republican state leaders about needing “all hands on deck” for the election. “Now is not the time for intra-party squabbling and nonsense,” Robinson said in the video.
WRAL-TV first reported the resignations, citing an anonymous source.
It is unclear what day the resignations are effective.
The News & Observer has asked several Republican leaders for confirmation of the meeting described by Robinson. U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, the Republican candidate for state attorney general, said through a spokesperson that Bishop did not participate in or know of a meeting with Robinson.
Some Republican governors have pulled their endorsements of Robinson. Others in the party have asked for Robinson to offer evidence for his denial of the allegations by the end of the week.
This story was originally published September 25, 2024, 5:21 PM.
Robinson is the Republican candidate in the North Carolina governor’s race against Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein.
Robinson was the subject of a CNN report tying him to a series of vulgar, antisemitic, racist and sexually explicit posts on a pornographic website that included saying he was a “Black NAZI” and would buy enslaved people if slavery came back. Robinson denies that he wrote the posts.
Brian LiVecchi, who has served as Robinson’s chief of staff and general counsel for several years, confirmed his resignation to The News & Observer on Wednesday through Republican Sen. Benton Sawrey.
Sawrey, who represents Johnston County, also confirmed the resignations of Director of Government Affairs Nathan Lewis, Policy Director Jonathan Harris and Director of Communications John Wesley Waugh. That is half of Robinson’s staff in the lieutenant governor’s office.
The news comes the same day Robinson posted a video of himself on social media at a table in front of a laptop, saying that he met with top Republican state leaders about needing “all hands on deck” for the election. “Now is not the time for intra-party squabbling and nonsense,” Robinson said in the video.
WRAL-TV first reported the resignations, citing an anonymous source.
It is unclear what day the resignations are effective.
The News & Observer has asked several Republican leaders for confirmation of the meeting described by Robinson. U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, the Republican candidate for state attorney general, said through a spokesperson that Bishop did not participate in or know of a meeting with Robinson.
Some Republican governors have pulled their endorsements of Robinson. Others in the party have asked for Robinson to offer evidence for his denial of the allegations by the end of the week.
This story was originally published September 25, 2024, 5:21 PM.
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