Brown camp won't say whether controversial endorsement is legitimate

Scott Brown's campaign will not say whether their candidate has endorsed Bill Hudak, a Republican Congressional candidate in Massachusetts who posted flyers portraying Barack Obama as Osama bin Laden.

The Hudak campaign released a statement last night touting Brown's endorsement and even quoting the newly elected Senator. But Brown's campaign says they did not approve the release, and won't comment on whether Brown has actually endorsed Hudak.

"Neither Scott Brown or anyone connected with his campaign approved that press release before its release or the quote that was attributed to Scott," said Felix Browne, a spokesman for Brown. "Bill Hudak is an energetic candidate who has been working hard as a candidate for Congress. Right now, Scott Brown is focused on the job that people elected him to do. That's his number one priority."

Hudak's campaign says Brown gave a private, verbal endorsement to Hudak, and blasted Brown's staff for reneging.

"Scott Brown gave his endorsement to Bill Hudak and it's unforuante that the people Scott Brown surrounds himself with are backing dowm from a commitment that their boss already made," said Tyler Harber, a spokesman for Hudak.

Harber added that Hudak and Brown are friends and that Hudak worked tirelessly for Brown during his Senate bid.

"If you went to Bill's office right now you'd probably still find Brown's people packing their stuff up," he said.

Police were called to Hudak's neighborhood in 2008 when he posted flyers of then-candidate Obama as Osama bin Laden. Hudak reportedly said at the time that Obama was born in Kenya, though Harber said those comments were taken out of context and that Hudak believes Obama was born in the United States.

Hudak is challenging Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.).

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