Vulgar email targets NC lawmaker on Iran war. The surprise was where it came from
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Email address tied to Raleigh businessman Bob Winston sent a vulgar email.
- Rep. Brian Turner posted the exchange online and urged public accountability.
- Winston’s civic roles prompted Turner to call for institutions to reconsider ties.
State Rep. Brian Turner says he is used to the occasional email troll. So when he got a vulgar note in his inbox on a Tuesday evening, he didn’t think twice — until he saw the email address.
Turner, a Buncombe County Democrat, sent out a campaign email condemning the war in Iran. The conflict, a collaboration between the US and Israel that is now in its fourth week, has resulted in the death of top Iranian leaders and substantial hits to the country’s oil infrastructure.
“This unnecessary war will cost lives and livelihoods during a time that has already been hard for many,” Turner wrote. “I urge you to call your US Senators and Representatives to stop this madness, I know I will.”
One minute after the email blast hit inboxes, a response came in.
“Grow a pair (expletive),” the email response read. The expletive used could be considered demeaning to women.
The sender? An email address associated with Robert Winston, CEO of Winston Hospitality. Winston is a prominent Raleigh name, influential in business and civic circles. He has served on the board of the Research Triangle Park Foundation. He used to be chairman of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees. He’s made large donations to NC State University. His hospitality company operates hotels in Jacksonville, Kinston, Goldsboro and across the country.
Efforts by The News & Observer to reach Winston by phone, email, and text were not successful Friday afternoon or Monday morning.
Turner posted the email exchange on Facebook on Friday morning. “I was trying to find the balance between calling attention to this and putting him on blast,” Turner told The N&O.
Turner compares the choice to post the exchange as akin to speaking up about an offensive joke told at a party. “If you don’t say something, you’re tacitly approving it,” he said.
Turner’s post has surpassed 50,000 views, according to analytics reviewed by The N&O.
“We’ve just gone too far in sort of letting these things slide,” Turner said. “If I don’t have the strength and the value system to step up and say, ‘Hey, this is wrong,’ and say it publicly, am I really doing what I should be doing with my platform? Mr. Winston is probably worth a billion dollars. He’s the former chair of the Board of Trustees for Chapel Hill.
“This is not some frat boy who’s just had a couple of beers. I was really disappointed that someone of his professionalism and his position in our community would do that. Honestly, I wanted to call the RTP Foundation. Hey, UNC-Chapel Hill. Hey, NC State. You need to think twice about engaging with this guy, because this is what he’s going to say to me.”
Turner responded to the email from Winston the next morning. “Bob, I hope rising gas prices don’t cut into your hotel occupancy rates,” Turner replied, in an email reviewed by The N&O. Winston did not reply.
