Former NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson drops lawsuit against CNN
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Former North Carolina lieutenant governor and 2024 GOP candidate for governor Mark Robinson has dropped a defamation lawsuit against CNN.
The one-sentence voluntary dismissal notice filed by the Republican's attorneys in U.S. District Court in eastern North Carolina didn't give a reason for the decision.
But in a separate statement, Robinson, 56, cited a Bible verse while saying that "costly litigation and political gamesmanship by my detractors makes clear that continuing to pursue retribution from CNN is a futile effort."
"It is more honorable to bury an injury than to revenge it," Robinson said. "While it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of North Carolina, the continued political persecution of my family and loved ones is a cost I am unwilling to continue to bear."
On Friday, Robinson also said, "I will not run next year, nor do I have plans to seek elected office in the future." Robinson had been mentioned as a potential GOP primary opponent to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026.
"Today, my family and I are turning the page," Robinson said.
According to the lawsuit file in October, the news organization defamed Robinson and interfered in North Carolina's gubernatorial election through false and shoddy reporting in its article from September 2024.
CNN's story claimed that Robinson - under a username he allegedly used online -- made several inflammatory comments on a message board of a pornography website more than a decade ago, including one comment where he allegedly referred to himself as a "black NAZI!" ABC News has not confirmed this reporting or the online username alleged to be linked to him. Robinson and his legal team denied the article's allegations and asserted the posts were created by someone using hacked information that was disseminated about Robinson on the dark web.
After the November election, CNN filed to have the lawsuit thrown out. In the dismissal motion which was filed in Raleigh federal court, attorneys for CNN said Robinson's arguments suggesting he was the likely victim of a computer hacking operation that created fake messages would require a series of events that is not just "implausible, it is ridiculous."
Robinson and his legal team continue to deny the article's allegations and assert the posts were created by someone using hacked information that was disseminated about Robinson on the dark web.
After the report was published, several of Robinson's campaign staffers resigned. Robinson vowed to stay on the campaign trail.
In addition, the posts were subsequently removed from the message board.
The lawsuit was seeking more than $25,000 after amending it from the $50 million. That was due in part to North Carolina state courts limiting plaintiffs to stating in a complaint whether the damages are more than $25,000. The exact amount of damages is determined by a jury at trial.
Stein handily beats Robinson to become North Carolina's 58th governor.
The Associated Press contributed.