Commerce Pick Richardson Withdraws, Citing N.M. Probe

Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn his nomination as President-elect Obama's new Commerce Secretary over a legal inquiry in N.M. Some feel this is a sign there may be flaws in Obama's vetting process. » LAUNCH VIDEO PLAYER By Michael D. Shear and Carol D. Leonnig Washington Post Staff Writers Monday, January 5, 2009; Page A01 New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to be commerce secretary, withdrew from consideration yesterday, citing an ongoing federal "pay-to-play" investigation involving one of his political donors as a significant obstacle to his confirmation. Richardson, 61, who competed unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, becomes the first political casualty in Obama's Cabinet, and his withdrawal marked the first visible crack in what had been one of the smoothest presidential transitions in modern history. The former energy secretary and U.N. ambassador under President Bill Clinton was positioned to become the highest-profile Hispanic in Obama's administration. But Richardson made it clear yesterday that he thought confirmation was far from a sure thing, even with Democrats firmly in control of the Senate. "Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done," Richardson said in a statement. The New Mexico investigation, which began last summer, focuses on whether Richardson's office urged a state agency to hire a California firm as a result of generous contributions from the company and its president to political action committees established by the governor. Richardson insisted that he and his staff "have acted properly in all matters" and predicted that the investigation would exonerate him. But he said the probe could take weeks or months, potentially holding up his Senate approval. Instead, Richardson said he will remain "in the job I love as governor of New Mexico." He called Obama on Friday to advise him of his plans, and the president-elect accepted the decision "with deep regret," according to a statement issued yesterday. Aides said no one in Obama's transition pressured Richardson to drop out.

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