Editorial: Lt. Gov. Robinson needs to answer questions of campaign finance irregularities

CBC Editorial: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024; #8898

The following is the opinion of Capitol Broadcasting Company

It was 35 months ago. Just weeks after the 2020 elections and days after Mark Robinson was sworn in as North Carolina’s lieutenant governor.

Bob Hall, an ardent activist seeking broad voter participation and an equally energetic advocate for open and honest elections filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections. The complaint has not been resolved nor has Robinson’s campaign offered any explanations, corrections or remedies.

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.

“We are transitioning to new staff, and our team is in the process of working with the NCSBE to fix any and all mistakes, and to amend our reports to be accurate and up to date,” he said in a February 2021 news report.

This is an on-going investigation – now better than three years without resolution. State law, enacted in 2018, made all complaints, responses, related materials gathered and produced during investigations secret.

“The confidentiality provision does not prevent a complainant or a respondent from publishing or otherwise disclosing the complaint, substance of the complainant, the response, or any substance of the response to members of the media or the public,” states the Campaign Finance Complaint Policy Guide published by the State Elections Board.

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.

When it was disclosed in July 2022 that Robinson had unpaid Guilford County tax bills going back to 2006, he did finally pay off the delinquent taxes and passed it off, saying “I’m not very good at math.”

He’s been through three bankruptcies (1998, 1999 and 2003) and, according to court records, seven years of unpaid federal income taxes. He’s even faced eviction from his home, after he failed to make payments.

He’s even failed – until a news organization disclosed it – to file timely data on statements of financial interest state officials are required to complete.

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.

If he can’t and with the secrecy required of the State Board of Elections, it would be time for Wake County district attorney’s office – which has clearly established its non-partisan credentials -- to step up and clear the air.

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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