North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
The State Board of Elections has reached a settlement agreement with Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s political committee, Friends of Mark Robinson, that includes a fine of $35,000 for hundreds of campaign finance violations committed during the 2020 election cycle. The fine follows a nearly four-year investigation prompted by a February 2021 complaint by veteran government watchdog Bob Hall.
The violations, detailed in a September 2024 audit report, include illegal anonymous and cash donations, contributions beyond the legal limits, undisclosed sources, improper cash payments, misreported expenses, and improperly reported contributions. While some of the violations resulted in fines, others did not.
“It’s good that the State Board finally finished its investigation and fined the Robinson campaign for extensive illegal activity,” Hall said in a statement. “The investigation documented the Robinson team’s magnificent disregard for obeying the law and flagrant mismanagement of campaign finances.”
Hall also expressed disappointment that the findings were made public only now —a month after the general election— even though the audit was completed in September.
“It’s unfortunate it took so many years to finish this investigation,” Hall said. “The public should have known about the scope of Robinson’s illegal activity in the 2020 campaign well before the 2024 election ended. We should have known about the audit report that was finished in September 2024 – except a law promoted by General Assembly leaders prohibited its release.” Hall was referring to a state statute that requires the Board of Elections to keep investigations confidential until it receives a recommendation regarding the appropriateness of a criminal referral from the State Ethics Commission.
Despite the breadth of violations, the State Board’s settlement agreement released the committee from filing amended reports, which would have corrected errors and disclosed missing information. The committee was also not required to cover the cost of the investigation, a move Hall calls “unfortunate” given the staffing challenges at the agency. Friends of Mark Robinson will also face no additional penalties that could have ranged from more fines to criminal charges.
The committee paid the fine on December 10, and proceeds will go to the North Carolina Civil Penalties and Forfeiture Fund.
The violations occurred as Robinson was running for lieutenant governor in 2020, a race he ultimately won.
Key Findings from the Audit:
- Anonymous Contributions: $11,402, including one large anonymous donation of $1,410.
- Excessive Contributions: $11,800 from three donors exceeding the limit.
- Prohibited Contributions: $12,500 from national political committees not permitted in North Carolina.
- Undisclosed Contributions: $38,850 from 33 political committees that were not reported. Other contributions were reported on the wrong report.
- Cash Payments: $347.50 in improper cash transactions.
- Personal Expenses: $263.52 in prohibited medical expenses.
- Occupational Information Missing: 34% of 6,521 of contributions lacked required donor occupational information.