Yolanda Hill Robinson, wife of North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, has found herself in the spotlight due to her controversial past, further raising questions as her husband faces increasing scrutiny.
Mark Robinson, the GOP's gubernatorial candidate, has been under fire following CNN's revelations about his anti-abortion rhetoric and other inflammatory online posts. Despite calls for him to step down, Robinson remains determined to stay in the race, a move some political analysts say could hand North Carolina—a key battleground state.
While Robinson is sparing no effort to lead the state-level ticket, some political analysts argue his continued presence in the race is like giving the state to Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
President Joe Biden failed to secure North Carolina, a key swing state, in 2020. If the Harris-Walz ticket wins there, it would minimise the pressure on their victory in other battleground states.
Controversy Surrounding Yolanda Hill Robinson
The families of political figures are often subject to intense spotlight during scandals like this. Yolanda Hill Robinson, who has been married to the lieutenant governor since 1990, is caught in controversy with her husband.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) completed an investigation into a Hill Robinson-led nonprofit earlier this year. According to the state agency, the second lady owed the state $132,000.
The NC DHHS charged Hill Robinson with "serious deficiencies" in managing federal funds. In 2015, Hill Robinson established the nonprofit Balanced Food Inc., which intends to assist childcare providers in making the most of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
However, the charity is now facing closure due to an investigation by state authorities. According to the investigators, Hill Robinson violated federal law by not disclosing that family members were among the nonprofit's top earners. This revelation has led to the decision to shut down the charity.
Hill Robinson and her husband have filed for bankruptcy three times. In the early 2000s, the Girl Scouts of America sued her for writing a bad check. The court ruled against her and ordered her to pay $3,486.03 in compensation.
Before entering public life, she obtained a bachelor's and master's degree in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Greensborough. This scrutiny surrounding Yolanda Hill Robinson is not the only controversy facing the Robinson family.
Escalating Controversies For Mark Robinson
But that's not all - according to recently surfaced divulgences, an email linked to Mark Robinson has been found on a discreet relationship forum. The forum caters to married or attached individuals seeking to explore other connections.
This doesn't come as a surprise given that Robinson allegedly admits to cheating on his wife throughout their relationship in some of his aforementioned controversial posts, unveiled by reporters and online investigators.
Speaking anonymously, an adviser to Robinson confirmed to POLITICO that the email address in question indeed belongs to him. However, a spokesperson for Robinson denied that he ever created an account on Ashley Madison.
"Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson denies that he ever created or used an account on this website," said Mike Lonergan, Robinson's communications director. Robinson's campaign pointed to a website that claims the email address in question has been compromised in multiple data breaches.
Notably, Ashley Madison has experienced multiple data leaks, including a significant breach in 2017 that exposed users' private and explicit photos. The revelation of Robinson's email address on the controversy-plagued website coincides with discomfort among North Carolina Republicans on Thursday, following CNN's uncovering of old posts allegedly made by Robinson on online pornographic forums.
A source familiar with the matter revealed that Robinson appeared in an interview with CNN scheduled to air Thursday evening. During the interview, he denied various allegations regarding his online activities.
According to CNN, Robinson wrote about feeling sexually aroused by "peeping" on women in public showers as a teenager. Additionally, he discussed his liking for "tranny on girl porn" and also noted that "slavery is not bad." To add to the complexities, he referred to himself as a "black Nazi!" However, he has denied making the posts.
