The Washington Post reports that Bill Richardson is out as potential commerce secretary for the incoming Obama administration:
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn his name from consideration as commerce secretary for President-elect Barack Obama, citing an ongoing investigation about business dealings in his state.
Richardson, 61, who competed unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination, was secretary of energy and U.N. ambassador during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and also the first high-profile Latino named to Obama’s Cabinet.
But a grand jury in New Mexico is currently looking into charges of “pay-to-play” in the awarding of a state contract to a company that contributed to Richardson.
The importance of the inquiry was apparently dismissed when Richardson was first nominated. But it may have taken on more weight in light of the “pay-to-play” allegations involving Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
As with Blagojevich, Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, etc., Team Obama claims that’s not the Bill Richardson > Blog Archive >> Team Obama: Richardson misled us” href=”http://hotair.com/archives/2009/01/04/team-obama-richardson-misled-us/”>we thought we knew.
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