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(KSL Newsradio/KSL TV News) A prominent developer and close friend of Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney says he was responsible for a report last week that linked the LDS Church to a Romney run for the White House.
The Church denied the report and again stated its neutrality in political matters.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports Kem Gardner told them that "innocent" discussions between the governor and church officials were mischaracterized.
Leaders for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Romney have repeatedly denied reports they met to discuss a potential presidential bid for Romney in 2008.
The Tribune also reports Romney's Utah-based political consultant, Don Stirling, has e-mails that say church leaders were aware of the meeting.
Stirling recounts a meeting with Romney's son and Gardner.
He says Elder Jeffery R Holland "surfaced the idea of using BYU Management Society... as a starting point to rally and organize the troops on a grass-roots level."
Also, two deans from the Marriott School of Management sent an e-mail to 150 supporters and alumni October 9th, asking for help supporting Romney's possible presidential campaign.
But a Church spokesman says the statements in Stirling's e-mails are either exaggerated or completely false.
