Romney Demotes Immigration Adviser Kris Kobach To ‘A Supporter’
Democrats are accusing Mitt Romney of trying to clean up his image with the Latino electorate by distancing himself from one of the most notorious right-wing figures on immigration.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) is a leading intellectual in the rights push against illegal immigration. He assisted in the creation of Arizonas explosive SB 1070, and the even-harsher immigration law in Alabama.
Kobach and Romney go back a long way. Romney hailed him as an adviser during his 2008 campaign. Romney has long leveraged a get-tough image when it comes to immigration, one of the few policy areas where he has not at one time been to the left of much of the Republican base. In 2012, Romney again touted his immigration credentials by getting close to Kobach, though he didnt specifically call him an adviser.
We need more conservative leaders like Kris willing to stand up for the rule of law, Romney said in a January 2012 statement announcing Kobachs endorsement of his most recent bid. With Kris on the team, I look forward to working with him to take forceful steps to curtail illegal immigration and to support states like South Carolina and Arizona that are stepping forward to address this problem.
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/down-the-memory-hole-romney-calls-kris-kobach-just-a-supporter.php?ref=fpb