Robinson, Stein duel on public safety

(The Center Square) – Public safety plans took a step forward in North Carolina’s gubernatorial race on Thursday as the Republican candidate announced his and the Democrat answered back in a presser.

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Attorney General Josh Stein, respectively, each pledge to make the state safer. Lawmen across the state are split on support, evidenced by Robinson’s event in Statesville where uniformed officers were alongside and Stein’s previous campaign photo-ops. Each carries endorsements.

Stein’s response poked at Robinson doing little from his elected office to establish a record on public safety. Yet, Robinson’s dozen or so state statute-assigned duties are more aligned with education, energy, military affairs, domestic violence and serving as state Senate president.

Stein, on the other hand, has been top state prosecutor since winning election in November 2016 and has arguably had successes added to his record in the name of public safety.

Details in Robinson’s plan were limited and mostly attached Stein to the record of Vice President Kamala Harris. In his pillars he said he would “stand with law enforcement; secure the border and fight dangerous drugs; and crack down on violent criminals.”

To do that, “extremist groups that want to defund the police” will be rejected; raises will come for law enforcement officers; he’ll pursue death penalty punishments for convictions involving killing of law enforcement officers; he’ll sign legislation requiring cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers; cash bail proposals will be rejected; and judge appointments will give preference to those willing to keep violent criminals incarcerated as allowed by law.

“For too long,” Robinson said in a statement released by his campaign, “far-left career politicians like Josh Stein and Kamala Harris have made our state and country a magnet for violent crime and dangerous drugs. From ending cash bail to pandering to radical activists that want to defund the police, Josh Stein and Kamala Harris’ pro-criminal, anti-law enforcement agenda must end.”

Stein’s campaign called Robinson’s appearance in Statesville a “press stunt” and accused him of promoting violence and “stoking division.” In a release, it noted Stein’s work to clear a backlog of rape kits; recruiting strategies for law enforcement vacancies, and advanced trainings; child sex abuse legislative efforts; work against fentanyl abuse; and several prosecutions.

The Stein campaign said in a statement, “While Robinson has a long record of promoting violence, he has no accomplishments as lieutenant governor that have made North Carolina safer.”

Stein’s office has also touted several litigation settlements during his tenure, many involving other states.