NC Lt. Gov. Robinson Denies Offensive Comments, Blames AI

Mark Robinson, North Carolina's Lieutenant Governor and Republican gubernatorial nominee, finds himself embroiled in controversy following a CNN report about offensive comments allegedly made on an adult website. The report, released on September 19, 2024, has sparked a heated debate about political accountability and the role of technology in modern scandals.

CNN's investigative team, led by Andrew Kaczynski, uncovered comments posted over a decade ago on a website called "Nude Africa." The posts, attributed to the username "minisoldr," included self-referential terms such as "black NAZI." The investigation linked these comments to Robinson through various digital trails and similarities to his known public statements.

In response to the allegations, Robinson vehemently denied authorship of the comments. He stated, "This is not my voice. These are not things that we would ever say or even think." Robinson went further, suggesting that artificial intelligence might have been used to fabricate the comments:

"I'm not going to get into the minutiae of how somebody manufactured these salacious tabloid lies. But I can tell you this: There's been over $1 million spent on me through AI by a billionaire's son who's bound and determined to destroy me."

This defense echoes a growing trend of blaming technology for political scandals. Previously, hacking was often cited as the culprit in digital controversies. Now, as AI becomes more prevalent, it's emerging as a new scapegoat. Former President Donald Trump has made similar claims, suggesting Democrats used AI in preparing videos for the January 6 committee.

However, experts argue that using AI to fabricate such detailed and contextually consistent comments would be extremely challenging and improbable. The CNN report meticulously traced the digital footprint linking Robinson to the "minisoldr" account, making artificial creation highly unlikely.

The scandal has had significant political repercussions. The North Carolina Republican Party has shown interest in potentially replacing Robinson as their gubernatorial candidate, highlighting the severity of the situation. Media coverage has varied widely, with CNN and MSNBC giving extensive airtime to the story, while Fox News has provided limited coverage.

As the controversy unfolds, it raises important questions about political accountability, the credibility of digital evidence, and the potential misuse of AI as a defense against scandals. With the gubernatorial election approaching, North Carolina voters will ultimately decide the impact of these allegations on Robinson's political future.