As part of this week’s effort to reach out to the Hispanic electorate, Mitt Romney tried to distance himself as much as possible from “informal adviser” Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state who was the architect of the immigration law in Arizona.
But his campaign quickly admitted to CNN that Romney wasn’t as far removed from Kobach as he claimed.
On air with Univision America radio, Romney reportedly said he had never met with Kobach, whose endorsement his campaign touted in both 2008 and 2012 and who claims he is playing a bigger role this year than he did in the Romney previous presidential run.
But in his Monday interview, Romney reportedly told Univision he’s never met Kobach.
Romney said he has not met with Kobach, whom the campaign has described as an “informal adviser.”
“He may well be part of a policy team,” Romney said. “I have not met with him yet. And don’t know whether he is or he is not. So, sorry I can’t confirm that for you.”
Later the campaign told CNN Romney wasn’t exactly telling the truth.
“A spokesman for the Romney campaign said Romney and Kobach have, in fact, met before at campaign events — but not in formal policy meetings,” CNN wrote. “The aide said that in Monday’s radio interview, Romney was referring to policy meetings, which Kobach does not participate in.”
A Romney spokesperson told CNN Kobach “contributes informal advice periodically. Kobach did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TPM.
