Mark Robinson skipped vote to declare Hurricane Helene a state of emergency

Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and Republican gubernatorial candidate, skipped a vote on declaring a state of emergency in advance of Hurricane Helene’s arrival to the southern state, according to a report.Robinson, who has been under attack recently over alleged racist and explicit posts on a pornography website’s message board, was the only council of state member who did not vote on Democratic governor Roy Cooper’s emergency declaration, WRAL News reported.Cooper sought the declaration from top North Carolina electeds in the state’s executive branch on 24 September so he could mobilize a robust response to Helene. The vote enabled Cooper to more easily mobilize rescue vehicles and issue evacuation orders.Eight of the nine council of state members voted for the declaration, according to WRAL – everyone except for Robinson. Cooper has since sent more than 700 members of North Carolina’s national guard to areas reeling from the wrath of Helene,…