NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson holds first campaign event after staff departures

WILKESBORO, N.C. — North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is in the mountains on Monday campaigning the day after much of his staff resigned.

The stop comes several days after a bombshell report from CNN. Robinson took a moment Monday to address the report, which linked him to comments on a pornographic website. He described the story as “salacious and false lies” from 15 to 20 years ago.

“You better understand, I am coming after CNN full throttle, but we have got to put the people first,” Robinson said Monday.

Robinson said he’s considering legal action against CNN. The report last week tied him to sexually explicit and racist comments on that website from 2008 to 2012.

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On Monday, Channel 9′s Dave Faherty saw supporters of Attorney General Josh Stein waiting with signs at the campaign stop at a Wilkesboro bakery. The signs mentioned some of the allegations against Robinson.

Stein and Robinson are facing off in the race for North Carolina governor. At one point Monday, Faherty could see supporters on both sides exchanging their views on the race.

“I don’t understand how a lot of people could support him. Especially women,” Amy Cooper said.

The lieutenant governor spoke about the issues he believes are important in the race and said he wanted to focus on those instead of the past.

“Whether the accusations are true or not, we’ve all made mistakes,” he said.

He touched on the need to help small businesses and efforts to fight the fentanyl crisis, along with his concerns about the economy and schools.

Faherty saw several families go to get autographs and pictures with the lieutenant governor

“We’re a lost country, a lost state,” said James Farrington. “We need to bring God back.”

Faherty asked Robinson what his plans are now after much of his campaign staff resigned over the weekend.

“A lot of talented people right now are reaching out to us. We are in the process of forming a team that can lead us to victory,” Robinson said. “So we have full confidence in our ability to keep going.”

“But the timing of that, them walking away right now?” Faherty asked.

“It’s not the timing of it, it’s how you react and we are ready to react right now,” Robinson said.

Robinson is expected to speak again in Watauga County on Monday afternoon at a restaurant in the Deep Gap community.

(WATCH BELOW: Mark Robinson talks education and transportation funding with Channel 9)

Mark Robinson talks education and transportation funding with Channel 9

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