Washington (CNN) - Mitt Romney told an interviewer Monday that he has never met with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the architect of tough immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona who says he has been counseling Romney for years.
Univision America Radio host Helen Aguirre-Ferre asked Romney, who spent Monday making a push for Hispanic voters, if Kobach is advising his campaign on immigration policy.
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Aguirre-Ferre said "there are some Hispanics who are concerned" with Romney's immigration positions, specifically his promise to veto the DREAM Act as well as Kobach's involvement in the campaign.
Romney said he has not met with Kobach, whom the campaign has described as an "informal adviser."
"As to the other individual that you mentioned, 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."
That's a far cry from the full-throated praise Romney had for Kobach in January after he endorsed the former Massachusetts governor during the Republican primaries.
"I'm so proud to earn Kris's support," Romney said in a statement announcing the Kobach endorsement. "Kris has been a true leader on securing our borders and stopping the flow of illegal immigration into this country. We need more conservative leaders like Kris willing to stand up for the rule of law."
Asked for clarification, a spokesman for the Romney campaign said Romney and Kobach have, in fact, met before at campaign events - but not in formal policy meetings. The aide said that in Monday's radio interview, Romney was referring to policy meetings, which Kobach does not participate in.
"Mr. Kobach does not participate in formal policy meetings with the governor or the campaign. He contributes informal advice periodically," the spokesman said.
Kobach became a focal point of the campaign last April after a Romney adviser described the immigration hardliner as just a "supporter" of the campaign rather than an "adviser."
The campaign later backtracked and called him an adviser, much to the glee of Obama campaign operatives who have tried to drive a wedge between Romney and Hispanic voters.
As for Kobach, he has not been shy about announcing his ties to senior Romney campaign officials - and the candidate himself. In February, he told The Guardian that he has "advised Romney directly."
Kobach told the National Review in April that he has been providing advice to Romney and his advisers since 2008.
"The governor takes my advice, and does what he wants with it," Kobach told the conservative magazine.
This post has been updated with comment from the Romney campaign.
From CNN Politics
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liar liar pants on fire.
..and the hits just KEEP ON COMING!!! Romney, just give it up now. No one with a clear head would believe ANYTHING you say
Is this the same Mitt Romney who recently said he expected President Obama not to speak the truth about him during debates? Romney lies about his own which proves that he certainly isn't the truth teller, in fact, Romney isn't a "flip flopper" he's just a liar.
This guy can't even get his own campaign in order.
Does anyone needs more proof of this man and his running mates inability to tell the truth?
Romney Compaign is DONE, no hope, no vision and no solutions for any issue this country facing today and tomorrow either.
Where exactly in this statement does Romney say he knows this person, has met him. Nothing wrong with admiring someone's work whom you don't deal with or have met.
""I'm so proud to earn Kris's support," Romney said in a statement announcing Kobach's endorsement. "Kris has been a true leader on securing our borders and stopping the flow of illegal immigration into this country. We need more conservative leaders like Kris willing to stand up for the rule of law."
the highest point of Hippocrisy!
What a liar.
What an inept campaign. It couldn't get any worse if they practised. Incompetent-Romney-Ryan. And to think any Hispanic would consider voting for these liars. Romney and Ryan will say anything to pander for votes. Their ambitions for the White House are completely off the rails.
So romney lies again.
Is he or isn't he? Well-oiled weather vane indeed!
Willard show us the tax returns. NO TAX RETURNS NO VOTES
Romney ?
Make up your mind !
He changes his statements like the wind
Wow, looks like Mittens is lying again ... no surprise, keep moving along, folks ...
Obama/Biden 2012 = The only sane choice
Was Romney caught in another one of his lies when he said that he is not sure whether Kobach has a direct relation with his campaign as an adviser?
It's a good thing Romney is wealthy, because he must go through his wardrobe on a weekly basis, what with all those pants on fire.....
Wow! I am short of words!
The real question here, is why do Americans WANT illegal immigration? WHY is that a dirty topic? WHY do we NOT enforce our laws on immigration?
Whatever happened to "law-abiding" as a concept for all?
Just another lie from Romney, has anyone been keep count of the lies........
Yikes... Can't Romney ever get his stories straight? Eventually, sooner than later, all those lies, half-truths, and muddy explanations are going to come back and bite him. Obama/Biden 2012!
COAST TO COAST SWEEP
Why is it that Mitt Romney's first instinct is to lie when asked a direct question? It's just plain creepy...
who to believe? me knowing Romney for 4 years as my Governor , I have to believe the guy from KS is telling the truth....Romney has a way of trying to re write history to suit himself......
Geez Louise, this guy cannot open his mouth without telling lies and getting busted for it. Truly, this man doesn't have the character to be POTUS.