North Carolina’s outgoing Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson has filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN and musician Louis Love Money. The lawsuit, initially filed in Wake County Superior Court, is now the subject of a motion by CNN to transfer it to federal court.
Robinson’s suit stems from two articles. A Sept. 3 piece in The Assembly included claims from Money, a former adult video store clerk, alleging Robinson frequented the shop and owed $25 for a bootleg tape, inspiring a song by Money’s band. A separate Sept. 19 CNN article tied Robinson to explicit online posts under the username “minisoldr,” which allegedly matched his personal details.
Robinson denies the allegations, stating his visits to the store were social and calling the online posts fabricated. Initially seeking $50 million in damages, Robinson’s team later amended the figure to over $25,000 to comply with North Carolina law. CNN claims the initial demand generated undue publicity, prejudicing the case.
CNN argues Money was included in the lawsuit solely to keep it in state court, calling his inclusion “fraudulent joinder.” They claim Money’s statements fail to meet the “actual malice” standard required for defamation against a public figure. CNN also asserts that allegations of lawful behavior, such as watching pornography, cannot be defamatory.
The network’s legal team maintains that Robinson’s claims primarily target CNN’s reporting, not Money’s statements, further supporting the move to federal court. As the case progresses, it continues to draw significant public and legal scrutiny.