It was said that North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson, the GOP candidate for governor in November, called himself a “Black Nazi” in an online forum. However, sources told The Illinoisan that Robinson is still set to headline a fundraiser for a Lake County GOP group later this month, at least for now.
A flyer for the event says that Robinson will be the main speaker at a benefit on September 29 in the suburban area of Kenilworth for the Tenth Congressional District Republican Organization.
Mark Shaw, who used to be the chair of the Lake County GOP and is now a committeeman for the 10th District GOP, runs this organization. Shaw is a supporter of Trump and a “senior advisor” to the campaign. He was fired as Vice Chair of the GOP State Central Committee in June.
The event flyer says that the 10th Congressional District Republican Organization has been “asked by the Trump campaign to help get the vote out in Wisconsin and with its mission to turn Illinois red.”
Robinson has made many offensive comments about women, Jews, gay people, and other groups in the past. He was already behind Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein in the race for North Carolina Governor before his offensive comments on Thursday.
The event in Kenilworth on September 29 is being put on by Shaw, Julie Cho, who is the New Trier Township GOP Committeewoman, and Chad and Marilyn Prodromos, who give money to the GOP. Ticket prices run from $50 to $2,999 per person.
Republican leaders in the area are staying away from the event.
Chief Executive Officer of the Lake County GOP, Keith Brin, told The Illinois that the Shaw group is not connected to the Lake County Republican Party, the Lake County GOP Central Committee, the GOP groups in Cook and McHenry counties, or the Wheeling or Northfield Township GOP groups.
Brin said in a statement, “This event is all about Mark Shaw, the leader of that group. He was recently removed as State Party Vice Chair after being accused of voting dishonestly on Party business.”
“Mr. Shaw is on his own, and anyone who follows him will lead the party off a cliff, just like Mr. Shaw led the Lake County Republican Party for years.”
That’s why he wasn’t chosen as leader of the party back then, and it shows that they need to scold him again for making bad choices. The only people Mr. Shaw and his group work for are themselves.
Brin made it clear that Shaw’s group has nothing to do with Jim Carris, the Republican candidate for the 10th Congressional District who is running against Brad Schneider (D-Highland Park) in November.
The Illinoize sent Shaw a message Thursday night, but he didn’t answer.
On the condition of anonymity, a GOP adviser told The Illinois that when party groups work with Republicans who are known to be controversial, it turns people away.
The person said, “He no longer has any chance of beating Brad Schneider.” “I don’t think Mary Cole has a chance left to beat Eric Rinehart, who is the Lake County State’s Attorney.” This is more damage the party does to itself, and we wonder why we keep losing in the suburbs.
Schneider wrote on Twitter Thursday about Robinson.
“Mark Robinson has been invited by the 10th District Republican Party to come to Lake County later this month to be the main speaker at their fundraiser.” Schmidt told them, “Yes, you heard that right.”
“Know these things about Mark Robinson:” He said there was no Holocaust, backed a complete ban on abortion, called LGBTQ people “filth,” and made fun of women’s right to birth control by telling them they need to “get it under control.”
The Democratic Party of Illinois also tweeted that Robinson’s planned showing was wrong.
The post said, “The Republicans in the Tenth Congressional District are proud to have Mark Robinson, a supporter of Trump who is extremist, as the main speaker at a fundraising event later this month.”
“They’re letting a man in who denies the Holocaust and calls LGBTQ+ people “filth” even though he has no business being here.” We now know everything we need to know about the IL GOP.