Editorial: Lt. Gov. Robinson needs to answer questions of campaign finance irregularities
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 -- Campaign finance matters are more than concerns for political insiders. They are about the integrity of the candidates and their campaigns. All candidates should endeavor to establish unquestioned credentials.
Posted — UpdatedIt was 35 months ago. Just weeks after the 2020 elections and days after Mark Robinson was sworn in as North Carolina’s lieutenant governor.
From a review of Robinson’s 2020 campaign finance reports, it appeared to Hall that Robinson’s campaign may, among several concerns listed, have:
- Used campaign cash to pay off personal loans;
- Improperly Accepted anonymous donations in excess of the allowable limits;
- Accepted contributions from forbidden business sources;
- Accepted individual contributions in excess of the allowable limits;
- Accepted donations from out-of-state political action committees not authorized to be involved in North Carolina elections;
- Failed to disclose required donor identification information;
- Included discrepancies between total income from detailed contribution listing pages and that listed on the summary page.
Shortly after Hall filed his complaint one of Robinson’s political consultants at the time, Conrad Pogorzelski, passed the complaint off as, at the most, clerical errors.
Mark Robinson, now a candidate for governor, owes it to the state’s voters to clear up these very serious concerns and questions.
It would be one thing if these issues were an exception. But for Robinson, financial irregularities seem to be too much the norm in his campaigns and even his life.
Many go through times of financial challenge. The honest ones take responsibility, openly acknowledge the missteps and work to meet their obligations.
Given his record, after more than three years and as he asks for the vote of North Carolinians for governor, Robinson has an obligation to publicly answer, specifically and in detail, the concerns Hall raised.
Campaign finance matters are more than concerns for political insiders. They are about the integrity of the candidates and their campaigns.
All candidates, including North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, should endeavor to establish unquestioned credentials.
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