Bill Richardson: Out Before He's In

Well, lots to talk about today.

Everybody by now has heard about Gov. Bill Richardson's decision to withdraw his nomination for a place on the Obama Cabinet. Then again you might have been living under a rock so here's a story or two for you. Lots of them out there by now but since Andrea Mitchell broke the story let's give NBC some props by directing you here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28493919/

Anyway, the gov's spokesman, Gilbert Gallegos, keeps saying it was Richardson's decision to make which was technicially true I guess. He made the decision to step down but you can be sure he was urged to do so. Someone needs to ask Gallegos this question, "Did President Elect Obama or any member of his staff ASK Governor Richardson to withdraw his nomination?" and see what he says. Chances are Gallegos' responses will either be "I don't know" or "No comment."

So what does Obama do now? Does he allow the present commerce head to stay on board while this all gets sorted out or does he appoint someone new? By the way I was suprised to see that there is already a Hispanic Commerce Secretary, namely Carlos M. Gutierrez, who studied Business Administration at the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Queretaro, Mexico.

As for Richardson's fate it's too soon to tell. Depending on how the grand jury investigation goes this could either blow over and he could become Commerce Secretary eventually. Then again if the play or pay rumors are true he might not be New Mexico governor anymore either. As a former reporter who covered his share of politics I know a bit about funneling campaign contributions. A couple of firms in Honolulu had dozens of their employees make individual contributions to a former mayor's campaign so that they could get around campaign donation limits. Even their spouses made contributions. The mayor in question said he knew nothing about it of course but had to relinquish his run for governor in light of the controversy.

Of couse, the State of Hawaii has a Campaign Spending Commission that investigates these sorts of violations. Is there something similar here in New Mexico? If not there should be.