NC Lt. Gov Mark Robinson is an embarrassment to our state. His anti-LGBTQ+ comments and anti-Semitic comments seem designed to fan flames of hatred and sow divisiveness. One of his biggest financial supporters, developer John Kane, is also a favorite of many on Raleigh’s City Council, including Mayor Baldwin. Shouldn’t these City Council members take a stand against hate and return Kane’s money?
INDY Week tells us that “Bigotry Sells” in their report about campaign donations rolling in to Lt. Governor Mark Robinson after his bigoted anti-LGBTQ comments.
“Baiting liberals into outrage has become too common a formula for catapulting right-wing figureheads into the national spotlight. According to Robinson’s campaign finance reports, his donors include Raleigh developer John Kane and the CEO of Coca-Cola Bottling Co., J. Frank Harrison III. Both gave Robinson the maximum allowed contribution—$5,600. Meanwhile, Larry Barbour, president and CEO of North State Bank, donated $2,500 to Robinson.”
Credit INDY Week. Click on image to read full article.
“Perhaps not everyone who donated to Robinson that week, the best fundraising week of the entire campaign year, gave money precisely because they heard his “filth” comment and supported it. But not very many people asked for the money back; that week, Robinson’s campaign issued reimbursements to just three individuals, totaling $270.”
Read the full story here: Lt. Gov. Robinson raked in the cash.
Livable Raleigh dug further and we are prepared to show that John Kane donated to Robinson because of the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and not in spite of it.
Two stories about John Kane appeared in the N&O. One in March 2015 about a new church being built in downtown Raleigh. The other in December 2016 declaring Kane Tarheel of the Year.
Quotes from these two articles connect the dots to Kane’s campaign donations to Robinson.
From the Tarheel of the Year piece:
“The Kane’s are founding members of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Raleigh, created in 2004 by about 200 people who split from the national Episcopal church because they thought it was too liberal.”
From the piece about the new church being built:
“Holy Trinity left the Episcopal church in 2004 largely because of the national church’s acceptance of a gay bishop in New Hampshire.”
Now let’s connect the dots one step further and expose the other local politicians who have gladly accepted campaign cash from John Kane.
These sitting members of Raleigh’s City Council accepted campaign contributions from Kane in the 2019 election cycle.
| Mayor Baldwin | $5,400 |
| At-Large Councilor Melton | $5,400 |
| Councilor Branch | $5,000 |
| Councilor Buffkin | $5,400 |
| Councilor Knight | $2,500 |
So far, in the current election cycle, some of these same sitting members of council are raking in the cash from Kane again.
| Mayor Baldwin | $5,600 |
| At-Large Councilor Melton | $1,000 |
| Councilor Buffkin | $5,000 |
Remember, before you decide to give these councilors the benefit of the doubt that maybe they weren’t aware of Kane’s anti-LGBTQ attitude, the information was published twice in Raleigh’s hometown newspaper, The News & Observer, before the 2019 election cycle.
Livable Raleigh Editorial Team