In a move that has sent shockwaves through the North Carolina gubernatorial race, Republican candidate Mark Robinson has hired attorney Jesse Binnall, a former legal counsel to former President Donald Trump, to investigate allegations of controversial comments made on a porn website. These allegations, first reported by CNN, have stirred up a storm of controversy, leading some Republicans to distance themselves from Robinson.
Robinson, the current lieutenant governor, is facing off against Democratic state Attorney General Josh Stein in the battleground state. He denies the allegations vehemently and has pledged complete transparency in the investigation. Binnall, who leads the Binnall Law Group in northern Virginia, has assured the public that the investigation will be swift and thorough.
“Normally, something like this, an investigation, you know, run by the Department of Justice and the FBI would take months or years,” Binnall told Fox News Digital. “We can’t do that in this case because the voters need an answer before the election. And so we are going to move very quickly and still give them a very fulsome report.”
The CNN report alleges that Robinson, over a decade ago, made inflammatory statements on a porn site messaging board, including labeling himself a “black NAZI” and expressing a preference for Hitler over then-President Barack Obama. He has also been accused of making comments about transgender pornography and criticizing the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Robinson, however, maintains that the allegations are entirely false and fabricated to tarnish his reputation and derail his campaign.
The allegations have caused a rift within the Republican party, with some leaders distancing themselves from Robinson. The Republican Governors Association has announced it will not be renewing its ad buy in North Carolina, and even former President Trump, who initially endorsed Robinson, has remained silent on the issue during recent campaign rallies. Robinson, however, has remained steadfast in his denial, emphasizing that the election should be focused on policy, not personal attacks.
Binnall, a seasoned lawyer with experience representing high-profile figures like former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Rep. Devin Nunes, has assembled a team of investigators including a former FBI agent. He is confident in their ability to uncover the truth and ensure that Robinson is not unfairly targeted by politically motivated smear campaigns.
“One of the problems with these October surprise hype reporting pieces on someone is it doesn’t give you the full amount of time to fully respond, to show the voters that the allegations were just wrong and that the voters could end up being deceived,” Binnall explained. “And so, for that reason, my team understands the importance of moving quickly – very, very quickly and decisively in order to get to the truth, in order to get to a point where we can have full accountability for the true facts of this case.”
While the investigation is in its initial stages, Binnall has hinted at potential manipulation of information, citing past instances where similar allegations were used for political gain. He pointed to the Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 election and the unproven allegations of Trump colluding with Russia in the 2016 election.
“Wait to see how the facts develop. Wait and see. And judge for yourself, because these are very scandalous allegations,” Binnall said. “I think there’s a reason that they weren’t brought out until very late in the campaign. But we’re going to get to the bottom of it, and so for the voters in North Carolina, I just say to wait and judge the facts for yourself.”
The outcome of the investigation will undoubtedly have significant implications for Robinson’s campaign and the political landscape of North Carolina. As the investigation unfolds, the public will be closely watching to see how the allegations impact the election and the political climate in the state.
