Lobbyists not ‘running’ his bid

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  Republican Mitt Romney said Thursday he could govern in the country’s best interest because “I don’t have lobbyists running my campaign.” But Washington insiders are on his senior staff and registered lobbyists are top advisors.

One advisor, Ron Kaufman, chairman of Washington-based Dutko Worldwide, regularly sits across the aisle from Romney on his campaign plane, participates in debate strategy sessions and last week accompanied Romney to a lunch in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).

Another advisor, former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), is chairman of Romney’s policy committee. He also is chief executive of Clark & Weinstock, and his corporate biography says he “provides strategic advice to institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of the federal government.”

A third advisor, former Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), who was at Romney’s victory party in Michigan on Tuesday, is co-chairman of Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations and also is a registered lobbyist, according to federal records compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

“I think it’s time for Washington -- Republican and Democrat -- to have a leader who will fight to make sure we resolve the issues rather than continuously look for partisan opportunity for score-settling and for opportunities to link closer to lobbyists,” Romney said during a news conference.

The former Massachusetts governor added: “I don’t have lobbyists running my campaign.”

Aides said later that the comment was directed at rival John McCain, the Arizona senator whose campaign manager, Rick Davis, formerly was a registered lobbyist. McCain casts himself as a political maverick, ready to incur the wrath of colleagues and lobbyists as he pushes campaign finance legislation, exposes pork-barrel spending and engages in other good-government activity.

Asked about Kaufman, Romney noted he had said, “I don’t have lobbyists running my campaign,” before saying of Kaufman: “He’s not running my campaign.”

Reminded that Kaufman had joined Romney and his wife, Ann, on the plane throughout the Iowa, New Hampshire and Michigan campaigns, Romney noted that Beth Myers, his former gubernatorial chief of staff, was his campaign manager and Kaufman was only an advisor.

“Ron is a wonderful friend, an advisor,” Romney said. “He’s not paid. He’s an advisor like many others, but I do not have lobbyists running my campaign.”

In Las Vegas by day’s end, Romney appealed for votes in Saturday’s caucuses, in which 31 delegates will be awarded. “I want as many of them as I can possibly get,” he told patrons at a packed restaurant. When a man offered to buy a beer for Romney, he laughed and said, “You can buy me one, but I can’t drink it.” Romney, a Mormon, adheres to his church’s ban on alcohol consumption.