Washington (CNN)Potential Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson is apologizing after being accused of plagiarism -- even as the author of one of the books Carson is accused of lifting material from is rushing to his defense. 

"I attempted to appropriately cite and acknowledge all sources in America the Beautiful, but inadvertently missed some. I apologize, and I am working with my editors to rectify the situation," Carson said in a statement his representative, Armstrong Williams, provided to CNN. 

BuzzFeed News broke the story earlier this week that Carson had lifted material from a number of books and online sources for his 2012 book "America the Beautiful." 

Among those sources is SocialismSucks.net, a site whose founder acknowledged to BuzzFeed that Carson had taken some of his comments. Other sources included "The Five Thousand Year Leap" by W. Cleon Skousen, a Liberty Institute press release, CBS News and author William Federer's book "America's God and Country." 

Carson, a neurosurgeon who's said he'll make a decision on a 2016 bid by this spring, is the latest GOP presidential contender to be hit with plagiarism charges. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) faced similar accusations about his own book in 2013. 

The plagiarism charges have "blindsided" Carson, a source close to the neurosurgeon reportedly told the National Review Online. 

"Alongside the author, we too take these matters very seriously. We have been in contact with the author and agent and will work with them to review the given information. We will respond as appropriate," a spokesperson for HarperCollins Christian publishing, which published Carson's book, told BuzzFeed. 
Did any of the authors of the books he was accused of plagerizing rush to his defence?
even as the author of one of the books Carson is accused of lifting material from is rushing to his defense.