Campaign scandal caused several Mark Robinson campaign staffers to resign

North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's campaign for governor took a sharp hit this week, as the unconfirmed rumors swirl, and the battle for the state's top spot in the executive branch heats up.

After a CNN investigation revealed unsubstantiated evidence that Robinson had posted unsettling statements on a pornographic website's message board over ten years ago, several top staffers in his gubernatorial campaign resigned, adding to the repercussions, as WUMR reported.

Chris Rodriguez, the campaign manager, senior adviser Conrad Pogorzelski III, the campaign's finance director, and the deputy campaign manager "have stepped down from their roles with the campaign," according to a news statement from the campaign on Sunday.

In the release, it was stated that information regarding new campaign staff members would be forthcoming.

Campaign Response

Robinson released a statement following the announcement, thanking the former campaign manager for their contributions and wishing them well in their future endeavors. The statement also mentioned that a new campaign manager would be announced in the coming weeks.

“I appreciate the efforts of these team members who have made the difficult choice to step away from the campaign, and I wish them well in their future endeavors," Robinson said in the release.

On Thursday, Robinson promised that "salacious tabloid lies" would not disqualify him from the race, and he denied writing the posts.

According to a Friday CNN report that has not yet received confirmation from outside sources, Robinson allegedly made unconfirmed posts on a porn site where he identified as a "Black NAZI," enjoyed transgender pornography, preferred Hitler over then-President Obama in 2012, and described the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as "worse than a maggot."

More Takes

Separately on Sunday, Pogorzelski announced that the campaign lost four more employees: the director of operations, two political directors, and the deputy finance director.

Along with others from the campaign, Pogorzelski "left of our own accord," according to a text message he sent.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R–S.C. ) said on Sunday's "Meet the Press" (NBC) that Robinson should have an opportunity to refute the accusations, which Graham characterized as "unnerving."

He went on to say that Robinson would be “a political zombie if he doesn't give a solid defense to against the claims he's currently denying: “If they’re true, he’s unfit to serve for office,” Graham said of Robinson and the claims in the CNN report. “If they’re not true, he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country for libel.”