Update: The campaign said Sunday it will now allow the press to cover Romney's remarks at the fund-raiser, but reporters will be escorted out before he takes questions from the audience.
(CNN) - Mitt Romney's presidential campaign will not allow reporters to cover the candidate's Monday fund-raiser in Jerusalem, a campaign aide said Saturday.
That decision is a change in practice from an agreement the campaign and media outlets, including CNN, reached with the campaign last spring.
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Romney press aide Rick Gorka told reporters following Romney on his international trip that the fund-raiser was closed press, but offered no explanation as to why. Romney touched down Saturday in Israel and will head later to Poland.
A rotating small number of reporters attend the candidate's fund-raisers held in public places - such as Jerusalem's King David Hotel, the site of Monday's event - and share their reporting with other outlets, but reporters are not allowed into Romney's fund-raisers in private homes.
Several reporters attended part of Romney's fundraiser in London on Thursday.
Among those who may attend the fund-raiser is billionaire Sheldon Adelson, the major Republican donor who last month donated millions to the primary super PAC supporting Romney.
The campaign of President Barack Obama allows a similar pool of reporters to attend some Obama campaign fund-raisers, excluding those at which Obama will not deliver remarks. Some of those venues have included hotel fund-raisers.
Romney's closed-door fund-raisers and his private comments to donors were highlighted when reporters from NBC News and The Wall Street Journal overheard Romney telling donors in a backyard in April that as president he might close the Department of Housing and Urban Development and scale back the Department of Education, items he had not rolled out in public events at the time.
In response to the news, Obama campaign senior adviser David Axelrod tweeted, "After London debacle, Romney team re-institutes Mittness Protection Program. Now media will be barred from his Jerusalem fundraiser."
In another tweet, he added, "Is it because Sheldon Adelson, the SuperPac King, will be among the guests?"
– CNN's Jim Acosta, Steve Brusk, and Kevin Bohn contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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How can it be acceptable for a candidate for president to fund raise in a foreign country? Seems strange. Obama would never hear the end of it if he did that.
WHAT A COWARD! No way is he any good for America!
Politicians of all stripes have lots of reasons to dislike the news media, but even so, it's never smart to antagonize them like this. This has been a rough trip for Romney.
Must be something to hide
If he is willing to break an agreement with the press he will break them with us as well.
No MITT the TWIT in the white house
I want ti join the Mitness Protection Program. Members dont have to disclose their Tax Returns. When you apply for a mortgage or loan or employment to can plead the Mitness Protection program and maybe release Two Yrs Tax returns if you want to. I am a proud member of the Mitness protection Program.
Hello folks. Everyone is cordially invited to visit – thestarofkaduri.com
Barring the news media and breaking an agreement with them just is another evasive riff along with so, so many others.Sheldon Adelson can pour the money out all he wants to.In the end the people of the United States will be the Judge and Jury on this fiasco of a mess to say the least.Mr. Romney is not Presidential in any form representing the American People.Everybody is aware of who he stands for here and it is NOT the middle class by any means.And after his comments in Great Birtian ? He did nothing but imbarass the U.S. and make himself look really bad. People aren't going to forget the Olympic Games & Romneys Disrespectful remarks.
I am the vote splitter type of guy. I think that voting a straight ticket is moronic. I believe that you should only vote on somebody who you know and understand. I think that giving a blank check to any party is stupid.
I had been trying real hard to figure our who Mitt Romney is. However, he is so secretive about anything that matters: his business experience, his stance on the economic future of the USA, his take on outsourcing, his tax returns, his plan on – well, really anything, what he wants to do with the healthcare law that was modeled on HIS Massachusetts system that he now rejects... I need to give up figuring out Mitt Romney. I have some other things in my life as well to pay attention to.
Romney is a total HACK!
Just what is an American presidential candidate doing holding fund-raising events in foreign countries? Is he getting ready to out-source our government?
This is good insight into what a Romney Presidency would look like–Hush,Hush behind the door (s) meetings leaving the "Little" people out !! All the while the right wingers are screaming for trannsparency from Obama.
The reason for barring the press is as simple as it is obvious. Willard is a COWARD! Heaven forbid the the press accidentally record a single word Romney says to his big money donors. If the voters are allowed to hear the details of Willard's true positions, he has no hope of winning any election.
Typical for a sleazy weasel like Romney. Where's those tax returns?
Some of this is the news media and reporters fault they let Romney get away with blatant lies and not releasing tax returns. They don't want to discuss Bain. They constantly try to make false equivalencies between something President Obama said that was true and Romney lies Now Romney feels he doesn't have to answer any questions from the little people.
Some of this is the news media and reporters fault they let Romney get away with blatant lies and not releasing tax returns. They don't want to discuss Bain. They constantly try to make false equivalencies between something President Obama said that was true and Romney lies Now Romney feels he doesn't have to answer any questions from the little people.
How old is Axelrod? 13? 14?
I guess he doesn't want any Mitt the Twit headlines from Israel. So I assume he is fundraising from Amricans in Jerusalem since he is not suppose to take foreign money, but my guess is somebody is bundling for him over there, too. Ironic that he goes back on his agreement with the media just like everything else.
The Governor sure likes being 'secretive' about just about EVERYTHING.
After awhile even the faithful start saying 'why is he always trying to hide everything'?
Couple of pretty good guesses here. First being that he plans on making disparaging words about our president on foriegn soil. Second, he doesn't want to be caught making another blunder. Showing he is not only a liar who can't keep his word, but his is also a puppet that his handlers can't control when the media is present.
Why is he hiding. Mitt the crook is no good
that means what he says will be broadcast around the world – HE IS DANGEROUS – OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Romney doesn't care where he gets, or hides, his riches. Is anyone in the media investigating where foreign campaign money is coming from? Can you imagine if Obama went to Europe to raise money? Why isn't this a scandal?
I guess Sheldon Adelson has a lot of money to spare – he already lost MILLIONS on ginGRINCH and now he's about to lose MILLIONS on Romney – Money cannot buy an election and the American people will see to that!!!
Obama 2012 – The Only Trusted Way Forward!!
Mitt Romney just told the United States press f-you. I honestly have never seen anything like this. Anyone this secretive and who flaunts protocol with no explanation is absolutely up to no good and if he is put in the White House, it will only get worse. Maybe this will get the media to start calling him out and stop pretending that he's just playing politics. This isn't politics, this is arrogance!