(CNN) – A day after Michele Bachmann's Iowa campaign chairman jumped ship to the Ron Paul campaign, the two sides are still arguing over what transpired before the news broke.
Kent Sorenson was Bachmann's Iowa chairman since early in the campaign, but announced at a Paul event Wednesday he was joining the Texas congressman's campaign only hours after he appeared with Bachmann at one of her events.
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Speaking on CNN Thursday, Sorenson categorically denied he ever spoke with Bachmann about an offer of more money from the Ron Paul campaign, a claim Bachmann has repeated in the wake of the shakeup.
"Absolutely not, that conversation never happened," Sorenson said on "CNN Newsroom."
"As much respect as I have for Michele, the fact of the matter is it just didn't happen. I think it is unfortunate they're resorting to these type of tactics," Sorensen said.
Sorensen said the switch came about because he didn't think the Minnesota congresswoman was in the top tier of candidates, and that in his mind Paul was the only contender competitive against Mitt Romney.
"I think it was very clear that that it came down to a race of the two top tier candidates, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul and I believe it is my duty both to my family and to my state to ensure that somebody like Mitt Romney does not walk away in Iowa with a victory," Sorenson said.
Earlier Thursday, Bachmann doubled down on the accusation she first leveled against Sorenson Wednesday night.
"I had a conversation with Kent Sorenson and in the direct conversation that I had with him, he told me he was offered money," Bachmann told reporters in Des Moines.
She continued, "He was offered a lot of money by the Ron Paul campaign to go and associate with the Ron Paul campaign. No one else knows about that conversation other than Kent Sorenson and myself and I know what he said to me about that."
Bachmann said her conversation with Sorenson revealed the Paul campaign intentionally went after her Iowa campaign chairman because they were anxious about their candidate's poll numbers.
"They were losing steam in Iowa, and losing momentum in Iowa, because Iowans eyes were opening up," Bachmann said. "They understood not only was Ron Paul dangerous when it came to foreign policy, but they're understanding now that Ron Paul would be willing to legalize drugs in the United States including heroin and cocaine. Iowans don't want that."
Also see:
Dole calls old Iowa allies to push Romney
Gingrich's 'wild and wooly' Iowa tour
From CNN Politics
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OK, to me this Sorenson guy must be a real slimeball. One does NOT do this to somebody at this stage of the game. To me this exhibits a severe character flaw and if I was Ron Paul, I wouldn't have him within 10 miles of my campaign.
What happened? The winds shifted. A politician changed his mind and a mindless candidate lost support. WAAAH!
Ah, that's better. So it was personal, not financial, after all.
Bachmann's own current staff say that he didn't leave for money and thus that Bachmann again can't get the simplest facts correct. She's so out of touch with reality it makes me wonder how she got elected to anything at all.
She is a Chicken-Hawk war-monger just like Romney, Santorum, Gingrich and Obama. Too chicken to serve but too hawkish to send other kids to go fight and die.
Ron Paul is pro-peace, pro-life, pro-freedom, pro-right-to-bear-arms and anti-NYC-bankster-bailouts. He's the only one that isn't a Chicken Hawk war-monger and the troops are sick and tired of Chicken Hawks for Commander In Chief like Clinton, Obama and the rest of the GOP field. Give us a break!
I am truly in awe of how this GOP primary is going!!!
The Herald totally hit the mark when they said Romney should be the drive of the "clown car"!
When you trace the roots of today's political campaigning, who knows what to believe. All of the candidates have their eye on the prize and will do whatever they need to do to get it. It's a shame Huntsman is the only who stands alone. Would he be a good president? Who knows... but I sure know the ones that won't make good leaders for our country. They are the ones who have two side to their mouths.
She's a lying nut-bag. Does she realize how ridiculous she's made herself all year?
I guess Bachman's idea of Freedom of Choice means that you can only choose who/what she says you can choose. Her campaign should stop. Michelle, your campaign is the poster child for wasteful spending.
What difference does it make? Both Bachmann and Paul would be bad for the country. Bachmann needs to get over it.
A president legalizing hard drugs - and how many laws who he have to re-write to do that. I did not know the Mafia had that big of a voting block to go after. What is going to come out of her mouth next.
I'd leave that sinking ship, too. Not to mention, Bachmann is the compromised Tea Party choice. Sell outs.
What a piece of work Bachman is. How preposterous is her story that Sorenson told her he's taking money to switch to Paul? He says they never had that conversation. That is a 100 times more likely than that he told her to her face that he is "selling out for money." She wraps herself in Christianity and when push comes to shove she is just another lying politician.
could it be that he saw she didn't have a chance, as many of us did.
If Sorenson was in fact Bachmann's guy, he's a sorry loser...she doesn't qualify in any possible way
Well maybe some Iowans want that Michelle. You can't speak for all Iowans can you? Maybe some Iowans want legal drugs. You are just jealous because you didn't think of it first. C'mon admit it. Maybe that is what Mr. Sorenson wants. You probably made up the whole thing about more money, didn't you?
I think of the 2 of them I would have to believe him
Bachmann is desperate at this point and will say anything
She's also whacko IMO
Her end is coming quickly, good riddance!!
There used to be a term "The Death Rattle" Me thinks this applies to the candidate...or former candidate
First off I sincerely doubt that this guy is dumb enough to go to her and say "I am being paid to leave your camp". Secondly any and all Tea Party folks have shown in one way or another to be lunatics. Must be something in the tea.
liar liar pants on fire! I LOVE IT!
Does Michele Bachmann ever take responsibility for anything? It's always someone else's fault. First, she stated that cervical cancer prevention vaccination makes you a tea bagger, and now supposedly her aide told her he was offereed more money. Did these conversations actually happen or are they just inside her Sybil-like head?
The Republicans are doing all they can, individually and collectively, to ensure that the only victor in
Iowa will be President Obama. Voting. It's just like driving. Choose "D" to move forward, "R" to move backward.
I can't stand Bachmann...everything she says sounds like it's read right from a book. She ONLY sticks to the same crap over and over and over again, no matter what the question is. Her favorite word is "I" I did this, I did that, I was the only, I I I I...all the "I's" are always the same. Maybe if she answered a question she was asked, she wouldn't be at the bottom of the poles! And as far as her gay "fixing" husband...two words for you Michelle, NO CHANCE!
Why does Bachmann have to throw a lie into everything. She was almost believable this time until she threw in Ron Paul wants to legalize Heroin and Cocaine.
From person who isn't going to win to another. Do we really care? Only if we are supporters of either one of these people who won't win the nomination and can't beat Obama!