SocraticGadfly: Big Bill bows out from Commerce

January 04, 2009

Big Bill bows out from Commerce

Obama gets his first Cabinet nomination ding, as New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn his name from nomination as Barack Obama's Secretary of Commerce.

Richardson cited an ongoing federal grand jury probe over "pay-to-play" questions. An Albuquerque grand jury is looking into whether CDR Financial Products was given a contract with the New Mexico Finance Authority because of pressure from Richardson.

Given the current situation in Illinois, I'll give you 5-1 odds that Obama staff saw something on internal vetting and/or FBI checks and asked Senor Richardson to exit the nomination process, stage left.

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