Santorum hits Romney on role in 2002 Olympics

COLUMBUS — GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum is attacking Mitt Romney's leadership at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Romney regularly promotes his role in the 2002 Winter Games and cites it during his White House bid.

But Santorum tells a tea party rally in Columbus, Ohio, that Romney's rescue was made possible only because Romney "heroically" went to Congress and asked for tens of millions of dollars for the Olympics.

The Romney campaign doesn't dispute that congressional earmarks helped save the games. But his campaign notes that Santorum voted for the money when he was in the Senate — and backed other pet projects.

Romney plans to attend a 10th anniversary celebration in Salt Lake City on Saturday night.