North Carolina's Robinson, omitted from Trump rally, avoids comment on report about online posts

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson avoided directly weighing in during a gubernatorial campaign event Saturday on a CNN report outlining evidence that he made disturbing posts on a pornography website's message board more than a decade ago.

And Robinson, a Republican who normally functions as one of Donald Trump's top surrogates in battleground North Carolina, was not mentioned by the former president and current presidential candidate during a Saturday speech elsewhere in the state that lasted just over an hour.

In his first public appearance since Thursday's CNN report, Robinson spent several minutes Saturday evening speaking and leading a prayer at the Fayetteville Motor Speedway. He didn’t mention the CNN report or answer questions from reporters on hand, according to news reports.

“We’re going to focus on the issues that you are concerned with,” Robinson said. “While everybody else wants to focus on the garbage, and the trash that tries to besmirch people, we’re out here telling people about what we want to do, how we want to partner with you to make this state better and help North Carolina be better.”

Robinson earlier denied writing the posts, which include lewd and racist comments, saying Thursday that he wouldn’t be forced out of the race by “salacious tabloid lies.”

He directed his focus on other issues Saturday. “We’re going to work our butts off to make sure that we build an economy in this state that works for everybody,” Robinson said.

His appearance Saturday came the same day Trump held a presidential campaign event in Wilmington.

Trump’s campaign has appeared to distance...