Stein ad accuses Robinson of ‘endangering kids’ at child care center nearly 20 years ago

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – In a new advertisement Tuesday, Attorney General Josh Stein (D) criticizes Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) over state inspection records of a child care center Robinson and his wife ran nearly 20 years ago.

The ad cites state records from the mid-2000s that were first reported on by the Raleigh News & Observer.

Robinson and his wife Yolanda Hill ran a facility called Precious Beginnings in Greensboro for several years.

The documents outline concerns inspectors had with “unsanitary” conditions, exposed electrical outlets, young children not being visually supervised and other matters.

“Whether it’s endangering kids or falsifying business documents, Mark Robinson is showing North Carolina voters how unfit he is for the job of governor,” Stein campaign spokesman Jeff Allen said in a statement.

Robinson campaign spokesperson Mike Lonergan responded in an email.

“It’s telling that the first one to run this Democrat oppo dump was a liberal columnist. It’s just another attempt by the left to dig up old news instead of addressing the massive failures of Biden’s failed Border Czar Kamala Harris and their top North Carolina cheerleader Josh Stein,” Lonergan writes. “They’re cherry-picking a few minor violations and clerical errors to grind a political ax while ignoring visits that include ‘superior’ inspection ratings [which I’ve attached for reference] or note that minor violations were addressed in the near future. The voters of North Carolina need leaders that will address the problems facing them every day – like rising violent crime, a massive border crisis, or rising crime and inflation and more – and have more important things to worry about than the latest Democrat smear.”

Separately, the state Dept. of Health and Human Services is highlighting much more recent issues with the nonprofit organization Balanced Nutrition, which Hill ran until earlier this year.

CBS 17 reported last week that following a compliance review, the state says Balanced Nutrition owes more than $130,000.

In a letter dated on July 24, the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services wrote Balanced Nutrition is “seriously deficient” in operating the Federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. Listed are a number of claims against the non-profit including record keeping, income eligibility, enrollment documentation, training, fiscal integrity and verification of valid claims.

Hill has until Aug. 7 to file an appeal. An attorney for Balanced Nutrition has not responded to requests for comment.

Robinson’s campaign issued a statement Monday, saying the “findings are politically motivated at the core.”

Emails CBS 17 obtained earlier this year show Hill claimed she was the subject of a “vendetta” by the agency, which officials at DHHS deny. They say these reviews are conducted every two to three years.

House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) said Tuesday he did not know “any details” about the matter but echoed what Robinson’s campaign said about it.

Moore said, “I have heard from some that they say they think it’s politically motivated. It does seem questionable that you have Mark Robinson running for governor and right in campaign season something like this comes up. That always smells political when something like that happens.”

Moore said, “I have heard from some that they say they think it’s politically motivated. It does seem questionable that you have Mark Robinson running for governor and right in campaign season something like this comes up. That always smells political when something like that happens.”

In an email to CBS 17, NC Dept. of Health and Human Services spokesperson Summer Tonizzo said the review of Balanced Nutrition “was not a random review.”

Tonizzo said, “Per federal regulations, reviews are conducted every two to three years at a minimum, depending on the size of an institution and previous findings.  When there are findings from the review that do not rise to the level of Serious Deficiency, the institution must complete a corrective action plan to address the findings in order to avoid the issuance of a Notice of Serious Deficiency. The frequency of reviews increases for programs who have had findings in prior compliance reviews to ensure the sponsoring organization has corrected the findings and is complying with state and federal rules.”

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