Editorial: Do All Roads in N.M. Lead to Pay to Play? (More Richardson legacy)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | Wed, Jul 13, 2011 | ABQ Journal Editorial Board

[CedarDave]

How does a company bidding on a $38 million state road contract end up with confidential documents regarding the job? Taxpayers deserve an answer if New Mexico wants its public procurement process to have any credibility.

It is undisputed that FNF Construction, the second-lowest bidder and the company the Richardson administration tried to give the job of rebuilding 18 miles of Interstate 10 south of Las Cruces, got the internal documents.

And, according to the story in Sunday’s Journal by investigative reporter Colleen Heild, they would have succeeded except that federal officials who held the purse strings balked at the switcheroo.

It is apparent the documents came from an insider, and the new administration says it looks like that insider is former state Transportation Commission Chairman Johnny Cope. One set of documents is attached to what appears to be his personal fax cover sheet, and the pile includes an interoffice memo to him as well as documents to and from his e-mail account.

Cope was a major contributor to Richardson campaigns. So was FNF New Mexico Vice President Paul Wood, a friend of Cope’s, who with his family and former company gave more than $50K to Richardson campaigns and causes.

[CedarDave]

Do All Roads in N.M. Lead to Pay to Play?

Sure seems so. Other ongoing investigations include consideration for a judgeship in return for contributions and large fees going to Richardson contributors for state investment council transactions.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING! Click on the flag to go to the Free Republic New Mexico message page.

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[kittymyrib]

Why hasn’t Chubby been indicted yet? There is plenty of evidence against him.

[hattend]

Man, Richardson is not in prison YET?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Bill Richardson is Rod Blagovich without the rug. I think.

[CedarDave]

My response on an earlier thread. From Wikipedia: In 2011, Richardson joined the boards of APCO Worldwide company Global Political Strategies as chairman, the World Resources Institute, the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona, and Abengoa (international advisory board). He was also appointed as a special envoy for the Organization of American States.

Given his stature (or more honestly his notoriety), he no doubt is reeling in the dough from speaking appearances like his recent stint at Harvard.

[CedarDave]

On March 31, Richardson will speak in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum and deliver the 2011 Corliss Lamont Lecture, a lectureship featuring an individual widely recognized for leadership in diminishing the risk of nuclear war. Visiting fellows traditionally meet with student groups, lead discussion groups on topical issues and their experiences in public and political service, and participate in public policy classes with students and Harvard University faculty.

[JimRed]

Pay to play is a polite way to say “bribery”. It is a felony and all participants should be prosecuted accordingly.

[TheOldLady]

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