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Former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney ponders a point as he addresses the student body and guests at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Miss., Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015. Romney joked about his time as a candidate and addressed a number of world issues including terrorism, world economy and domestically "the need for strong American leadership," and job creation for Americans. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) | ASSOCIATED PRESS

This story was originally published by The Center for Public Integrity, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.

Not long ago, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney promised his administration would battle online smut by strictly enforcingobscenity laws and compelling businesses to installpornography filters on every new computer sold in the United States.

That's what makes it jarring that Romney's all-but-defunct 2012 presidential committee with an assist from U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is associating itself with astealthy front group that decries "government censorship" and is best known for producing a cheeky porno spoof that lambastes Internet regulation.

The motive? Cash.

Romney's committee continues to make money by renting the personal information of supporters to big data companies, which in turn peddle the information to most any special interest willing to pay for it, regardless of its views.

Paul, R-Ky., sent an emailon Monday in conjunction with an organization called "Protect Internet Freedom" that contends that "net neutrality" stands opposite freedom. The "net neutrality" debate concerns government rules that prevent Internet service providers from blocking or slowing online content, or prioritizing certain content in exchange for payment. The Federal Communications Commission isscheduledto votethis week on new "net neutrality" regulations, which manymajor telecom companiesandtrade groupshaveaggressivelyopposed.

Paul is a potential 2016 presidential candidate, and his father, Ron Paul, ran for president against Romney in 2012.

"These attempts to regulate the Internet are a direct attack on the freedom of information and an innovative market," Paul wrote in the email topped with a Protect Internet Freedom logo. "The government needs to stay out of the way ... We have to stop this aggressive, invasive and harmful regulation and we need all the help we can get to do it."

After Paul's signature come the message's disclaimers.

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Mitt Romney, Rand Paul And A Porno Spoof