Romney gets testy over issue of lobbyists in his campaign

Mitt Romney and reporter Glen Johnson (right) faced off during a campaign stop in South Carolina yesterday. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Mitt Romney had an unusually testy face-off with a reporter yesterday over the role of lobbyists in his presidential campaign.

When Romney repeated, "I don't have lobbyists running my campaign," Glen Johnson of the Associated Press challenged him, saying: "That is not true. Ron Kaufman is a lobbyist."

Romney responded: "Did you hear what I said? Did you hear what I said, Glen? I said I don't have lobbyists running my campaign, and he's not running my campaign."

Johnson didn't relent, saying after some more back-and-forth, "So Ron's just there, window dressing; he's a potted plant."

Romney shot back: "Glen, I appreciate that you think that's funny, but Ron Kaufman is not even in on the senior strategy meetings of our campaign."

The two then debated whether debate preparation sessions count as senior strategy meetings.

Romney said: "Let me go back and complete the point I was making. My campaign is not based on Washington lobbyists. I haven't been in Washington. I don't have lobbyists at my elbows that are arguing for one industry or another industry. And I do not have favors I have to repay to people who have been in Washington for years, nor scores I have to settle."

After the news conference was ended, Romney confronted Johnson again and told him: "Listen to my words, all right? Listen to my words."

The exchange, in the middle of a Staples office supply store, was shown on television newscasts yesterday. Johnson, a former Globe reporter, reported that Romney later invited him to the front of his campaign plane so Romney could outline the campaign's organizational chart.

The AP story that Johnson filed yesterday afternoon said that Washington insiders are on Romney's senior staff and registered lobbyists are top advisers. Kaufman, chairman of the Washington-based Dutko Worldwide, regularly sits across the aisle from Romney on his campaign plane and participates in debate strategy sessions, the story said.

The Globe has reported that in preparing his presidential bid, Romney courted Republican power brokers inside the Beltway. He had a fund-raiser with lobbyists on Capitol Hill and a strategy session at a Washington lobbying firm.

Still, Romney spokesman Kevin Madden made the distinction that while Kaufman is a Republican National Committee member and a friend of Romney's, he is not paid by the campaign.