Monday, January 05, 2009

Richardson withdraws bid to be commerce secretary


http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D95GHJPO0&show_article=1

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation into how some of his political donors won a lucrative state contract.

Richardson's withdrawal was the first disruption of Obama's Cabinet process and the second "pay-to-play" investigation that has touched Obama's transition to the presidency. The president-elect has remained above the fray in both the case of arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the New Mexico case.

A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a New Mexico transportation contract worth more than $1 million. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.

$1 million is chump change.  I wouldn't be surprised if Hillary didn't want Richardson around in Washington after he betrayed her by endorsing Obama. I'm not saying she had anything to do with it, but bad things tend to happen to people who cross the Clintons.

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