Bill Richardson Withdraws as Commerce Secretary-Designate

FOXNews.com ^ | January 4, 2009 | FOXNews

[NCDragon]

Bill Richardson is withdrawing his nomination to be commerce secretary, FOX News confirmed Sunday.

Richardson, who will remain governor of New Mexico, is facing a federal grand jury investigation into whether he exchanged government contracts for contributions to three Richardson political committees.

Richardson denies any wrongdoing but the investigation won't be finished before he has to go to a Senate confirmation hearing.

"Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact," Richardson said in a statement. "But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process."

Obama said he was accepting Richardson's request to withdraw with "deep regret."

[rod1]

Magie Grunwald or Sid Bluementhal, no doubt.

[SERKIT]

Maybe he was thinking of Ron Brown and said to himself: “I need this job like I need a hole in the head!”.
You would probably be shocked to know how many people, even here at FR, have no idea what you are referring to.

Well, then, let's just help them...

[CedarDave]

Didn’t mean to be critical and know it’s not a duplicate, just trying to help others know about all the Richardson scandals, not just this one. Probably could have worded my comment better.

[Lady on the Lake]

Well, many of us are old enough, and not too old, to remember, where all the bodies, are buried..

[Lady on the Lake]

Well, some of us are old enough, and not too old, to remember, Ron Brown, and where all the bodies, are buried...

[CedarDave]

PING! to #23. My response should have been to you. Sorry...

[CedarDave]

PING! to the New Mexico list.

FReepmail greyfoxx39 if you wish to be added or removed from the list.

[NCDragon]

No worries. Lets crack open a couple of cold ones, and toast to the potential downfall of the socialist “guvment” afore its even seated! :)

[KC_Conspirator]

What DEMOCRAT Scandal????

And I actually liked Richardson...

[Texas Eagle]

"Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact,"

Well, yes. That goes without saying. Isn't that what investigations are all about? To ferret out right-doing?

[drdemars]

Lived in N. M. from 1943 to 1965. Saw a lot of “good old boy” way of doing business. From contractors skimping on quality of workmanship and favor-ship on State bids. Still going on I see.

[NewJerseyJoe]

[Iron Munro]

Heh, heh.

“I am not a crook! I just play one in real life.”

[Rockiette]

Richie blew it, snarf, snarf. Remember when he admitted Chicom Troops in through NM’s southern border? I do, matter of fact, it was burned in my memory and at the time, seemed so outrageous, now it just another demoncRAT playing with other peoples money.

[bruinbirdman]

"Who was Obama’s second choice for Commerce?"

Robert Reiccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccha?

yitbos

[Wally_Kalbacken]

How will Keith Olbermann explain this in benign terms?

[freeplancer]

Everyone who dies in a plane crash has a bullet hole in their head, don’t they?

[NTHockey]

Repeat daily in the halls of Congress: “The culture of corruption is open under new management”.

Repeat daily in the halls of Congress: “The culture of corruption is open under new management”.

Repeat daily in the halls of Congress: “The culture of corruption is open under new management”.

[6SJ7]

The 0bama administration is the first to self-destruct before it even starts ...

That's my fervent prayer.

[libstripper]

CDR Financial Products, the company involved in the case, and its president contributed a total of at least $110,000 to three Richardson political committees in 2004, according to the article. Then, in 2004 to 2005, CDR received $1.48 million dollars in state contracts from NM.

Pardon me for being irreverent, but will someone here tell me how this differs from Michelle Obama being promoted from a $100 K/yr. job at UC Hospitals to a $300+ K job at th same employer just after the Magic Negro (hereafter "MN") was elected to the Senate and MN, in 2005, getting a $1,000,000 earmark for the UC Hospitals.