Called Mannatech News Today

>> reporter: because that answer didnt quite square with the speeches, the promotional videos and the under writing of his pbs specials, cnn called the ben carson campaign asking for an interview. the response from the campaigns business manager quote, this will never happen. you are up to no good. we dont trust you. last week, we approached the candidate himself at a book signing in florida. dr. carson -- without any hesitation we were invited on his because for a two-minute interview. >> were ...

And whenever anybody here falls short of that standard, to me, thats disappointing. >> reporter: dr. carson was asked about his relationship with mannatech in the recent cnbc debate. >> well, thats easy to answer. i didnt have an involvement with them. that is total propaganda. i did a couple speeches for them. i did speeches for other people. its absolutely absurd to say i had any kind of relationship with them.

Carsons image was front and center on mannatechs website and promotional material. >> this is ray robins with the platinum group. we are proud to be the exclusive sponsors of the program youre about to watch with dr. ben carson. >> reporter: distributors calling them sevens the platinum group and signed on to underwrite ben carsons public television special. cnn spoke with three former sales and marketing insiders with mannatech that say the involvement but the neurosurgeon went a lodge way towa...

With them. that is total propaganda. i did a couple speeches for them. i did speeches for other people. its absolutely absurd to say i had any kind of relationship with them. >> reporter: because that answer didnt quite square with the speeches, the promotional videos and the under writing of his pbs specials, cnn called the ben carson campaign asking for an interview. the response from the campaigns business manager quote, this will never happen. you are up to no good. we dont trust you. last w...

Relationship was in a company selling a product that the texas attorney general says is sham product? >> well, remember, they contracted me to give a speech. i do not, you know, go into great depth when i get a contract to do a speech. i go and do the speech. and i happen to like their product since ive been taking it, i almost never get sick but, you know, i constantly warn them not to use me as an endorser and some of the associates took the tapes and put them up on the websites and stuff like...

Of $170 million selling this product based on what it claims is the science of glyco knew nutrients. >> he said there is no science about it. its a made up term. >> there is no established evidence that these are useful. >> reporter: that has been a problem for mannatech in the past. the texas attorney general sued the company back in 2007 charging man natech with a screm that exaggerated their products health benefits. in fact, state officials charged mannate mannatechs materials falsely claime...

Founder paid $7 million to settle the suit without admitting wrongdoing and stopped making claims it could cure anything. >> im a candidate for president. >> reporter: so what does all this have to do with dr. and presidential candidate ben carson? this. >> let me just briefly delve into how i became associated with the products of this company. >> reporter: ben carson has a relationship with mannatech spanning nearly a deck said since he began taking it beginning in 2004 to 2013, dr. carson mad...

This have to do with dr. and presidential candidate ben carson? this. >> let me just briefly delve into how i became associated with the products of this company. >> reporter: ben carson has a relationship with mannatech spanning nearly a deck said since he began taking it beginning in 2004 to 2013, dr. carson made four speeches in front of mannatech sales associates and the most recent speech carson was paid $42,000. for the three previous speeches, the company made donations to the carson scho...

Them. i do speeches for other people. they were paid speeches. it is absolutely absurd to say that i had an kind of relationship with them. do i take the product? yes. i think its a good product. >> well, as we reported before, dr. carson is claiming he has no ties to mannatech dont stand up to scrutiny. tonight dr. drew griffin has more information. >> its a good product. >> reporter: this is the product at the center of the political controversy. ambritose. a dietariry supplement sold by a com...

Legitimate way. >> reporter: its obvious why mannatech wanted a highly respected neurosurgeon to speak highly of the product. what is not obvious, why a neurosurgeon would lead his name to an unproven product. we asked about that at johns hopkins where ben carson became a famous neurosurgeon. >> we here at a major medical and bio medical research institution have a special responsibility to abide by evidence and share evidence based, knowledge with people. and whenever anybody here falls short o...