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NM-Gov: Richardson Withdraws as Commerce Sec'y Nominee
Swing State Project —
NYT:
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, one of the country's most prominent Hispanic politicians and President-elect Barack Obama's choice to be commerce secretary, on Sunday dropped out of consideration for that post. He attributed his decision to the ongoing investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico.
Mr. Richardson said that he would continue as governor, and he added, "Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact."
If ...
The Early Word: Obama's Week Ahead
The Caucus —
... relationships with Congress.” On Wednesday the president-elect plans to have lunch at the White House with President Bush and all the living former presidents. He plans to give a speech on Thursday selling the merits of his economic recovery plan. And somewhere in between he and his team will have to choose a new appointee for secretary of commerce after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name on Sunday. The Times’s Sheryl Gay Stolberg reports that Governor Richardson cited a pending investigation into “whether his administration gave lucrative ...
A Bad Staff Week for Obama (so far)
The Moderate Voice —
... First, Bill Richardson turned down his appointment to be Commerce Secretary because of possible ethics violations concerning campaign funds given to him while he was Governor of New Mexico. As Commerce Secretary, Richardson would have been one of the crucial implementers of any economic stimulus plan that Obama and the Congress would have passed. Strike One. ...
N.H. Senator Confirms He's in the Mix for Commerce Chief
The Caucus —
... Commerce, and am honored to be considered, along with others, for the position,” Mr. Gregg said in a statement. “Beyond that, there is nothing more I can say at this time.” The White House hopes to make the announcement for Commerce Secretary next Monday or Tuesday, with the precise date depending upon F.B.I background checks. Administration officials said that Mr. Gregg is one of the candidates for the post, but not the only person being considered. (New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name from consideration for the post early this month because of an investigation ...
Former Governor Locke Is Latest Choice for Commerce
The Caucus —
... settled on former Gov. Gary Locke of Washington state as his top choice for commerce secretary as he tries for a third time to fill a cabinet position that has bedeviled his administration, a White House official said Monday. The official described Mr. Locke as the “likely” nominee, a formulation the Obama team has used in the past for a candidate on the verge of being nominated pending final vetting checks. Mr. Locke would be the third choice for the Commerce Department after Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico dropped out because of a federal investigation into state ...
Locke Confirmed as Commerce Secretary
The Caucus —
The third try is, evidently, the charm for President Obama’s appointments to lead the Commerce Department. The Senate has just voted to confirm former Gov. Gary Locke of Washington to the post. Mr. Obama’s first two nominees withdrew: Gov. Bill Richardson because of a pay-for-play investigation in his home state of New Mexico, and Senator Judd Gregg , a New Hampshire Republican, over philosophical differences and a dispute about control of the Census Bureau. But after all that controversy, Mr. Locke breezed through, with the Senate approving his ...
Prosecutors Drop Criminal Inquiry of Gov. Richardson and Aides
The Caucus —
Federal prosecutors have decided not to pursue a criminal case against Gov. Bill Richardson or other New Mexico officials in a “pay-to-play” inquiry involving high-profile political donors that lasted nearly a year, according to government officials told of the decision. Mr. Richardson had withdrawn from consideration for Commerce Secretary in the fledgling Obama Cabinet early this year as news of the investigation into whether lucrative contracts had been given to a political donor became more widely known. The governor, a former Democratic presidential candidate and energy ...
