オバマ 類は友を呼ぶ

オバマの指名候補に問題が見つかった。
オバマの商務長官に指名されていたビル・リチャードソン・ニューメキシコ
州知事は、同州政府と取引のある企業に対する捜査が行われていることを
理由に、指名を辞退した。
オバマ氏にとっては、自らの後任の上院議員指名をめぐるイリノイ州知事の
汚職事件に続く。
捜査対象は加州の金融サービス企業、CDRフィナンシャル・プロダクツ社。
ニューメキシコ州政府から約150万ドル（約1億4000万円）分の契約を
取り付ける直前に、同社首脳がリチャードソン氏に献金していたという。

類は友を呼ぶようにオバマの指名候補も金に汚かった。
オバマもヒラリー並に金に汚かったが、まだ、米国以外からの大手寄付者が
報道されない。時間の問題かも知れない。



Richardson Quits As Cabinet Pick CBS


---リチャードソン氏、商務長官指名を辞退---
2009.01.05 Web posted at: 14:35 JST Updated - CNN
http://www.cnn.co.jp/usa/CNN200901050008.html

（ＣＮＮ）　オバマ次期政権の商務長官に指名されていたビル・リチャードソン・ニューメキシコ州知事（６１）は４日、同州政府の公共事業を受注する民間企業をめぐる疑惑を理由に、指名を辞退すると表明した。

リチャードソン氏は、疑惑の捜査が「数週間から数カ月かかる」との見通しを示し、「米国が経済危機に直面する今、次期政権がなすべき重要な仕事を１日たりとも遅らせるわけにはいかない」と強調。オバマ次期大統領に指名手続きを進めないよう申し入れたことを明らかにした。

次期大統領は声明で、「非常に遺憾」としながらも、辞退を受け入れたと発表。同氏の決断を「国家優先の姿勢を示すもの」と評価し、「将来、私の政権で仕事をしてくれることを期待する」と述べた。

問題の企業は、リチャードソン氏に献金して州政府から便宜供与を受けた疑いがあるとされる。同氏は「私自身も州政府も適切に行動した。その事実は捜査によって証明されるだろう」とする一方、「捜査によって指名承認の手続きが遅れることは望ましくない」と説明した。

リチャードソン氏はヒスパニック系の大物政治家として知られ、クリントン前政権でエネルギー長官、国連大使などを務めた。大統領選で民主党候補指名争いに名乗りを上げたが、昨年１月に撤退、オバマ氏支持を表明した。

政権移行チーム外部の民主党関係者らがＣＮＮに語ったところによると、次期大統領の後継となる上院議員選びをめぐりイリノイ州のブラゴイェビッチ知事が汚職容疑で逮捕された事件を受けて、側近らが「これ以上の混乱を招く要素は排除したい」との意図から、リチャードソン氏に辞退を迫ったとの情報もある。


---リチャードソン氏、商務長官辞退　次期政権発足前に痛手---
2009年1月5日10時57分
http://www.asahi.com/international/update/0105/TKY200901050038.html

　【ワシントン＝小村田義之】オバマ次期米政権の商務長官に指名されていたビル・リチャードソン・ニューメキシコ州知事（６１）は４日、同州政府と取引のある企業への捜査が続いていることを理由に、指名を辞退すると発表した。オバマ氏も受け入れ、代わりの人選に入った。
　オバマ次期政権に起用された閣僚の辞退は初めてで、オバマ氏は「非常に残念」とする声明を発表した。リチャードソン氏はヒスパニック系を代表する政治家で、オバマ次期政権の目玉人事の一つだった。２０日の大統領就任式を前に、痛手となりそうだ。
　米メディアによると、捜査対象はカリフォルニア州の金融関係企業で、ニューメキシコ州政府との契約の前後にリチャードソン氏側に献金し、便宜供与を受けた疑いがあるという。
　リチャードソン氏は声明で「州政府と取引のある企業への捜査が未解決で、今後、数週間か数カ月かかる見込みだ」と指摘。自らの関与については「私も州政府も適正に行動した。捜査はそれを証明するだろう」と主張した。一方で、長官就任に上院での承認が必要なことに触れ、「捜査が承認手続きに遅れをもたらす」ことを辞退の理由にあげた。
　オバマ氏は声明で「リチャードソン氏はこの危機の時に、重要な経済ポストの承認の遅れを避けるため辞退した」と説明した。
　上院はオバマ氏の後継をめぐるブラゴエビッチ・イリノイ州知事の汚職事件で揺れており、更なる混乱を避けるため、オバマ氏の側近が辞退を促したとの見方もある。
　リチャードソン氏はクリントン前政権下で国連大使やエネルギー長官を歴任。大統領選の民主党予備選にヒスパニック系初の大統領を目指して立候補し、撤退後はオバマ氏への支持を表明した。ヒラリー・クリントン上院議員と並んで次期国務長官候補にも名前があがっていた。


---リチャードソン氏が商務長官辞退＝取引企業への捜査で－次期米政権---
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=int&k=2009010500054

　【ワシントン４日時事】オバマ次期米政権の商務長官に指名されていたビル・リチャードソン・ニューメキシコ州知事（６１）は４日、同州政府と取引のある企業に対する捜査が行われていることを理由に、指名を辞退した。オバマ次期大統領はこれを受け入れ、代替候補の人選に入った。
　次期政権の閣僚の指名辞退は初めて。オバマ氏にとっては、自らの後任の上院議員指名をめぐるイリノイ州知事の汚職事件に続く痛手で、政権発足への影響を最小限にとどめたい考えだ。
　米メディアによると、捜査対象はカリフォルニア州の金融サービス企業、ＣＤＲフィナンシャル・プロダクツ社。ニューメキシコ州政府から約１５０万ドル（約１億４０００万円）分の契約を取り付ける直前に、同社首脳がリチャードソン氏に献金していたという。（2009/01/05-07:29）


---Commerce Pick Richardson Withdraws, Citing N.M. Probe---
By Michael D. Shear and Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, January 5, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/04/AR2009010401607.html?hpid=topnews

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.

No clear replacement for Richardson at the Commerce Department emerged yesterday, but sources close to the transition said Obama would move quickly to find one.

A grand jury in Albuquerque is looking into whether CDR Financial Products received a contract with the New Mexico Finance Authority because of pressure from Richardson or other state employees. CDR made $1.48 million advising the authority on interest-rate swaps and refinancing of funds related to $1.6 billion in transportation bonds, state officials confirmed.

The Beverly Hills-based firm and its president, David Rubin, together gave $100,000 to Sí Se Puede and Moving America Forward, both PACs started by Richardson, shortly before winning the lucrative state contract, records show.

The federal probe heated up considerably last month, just around the time Obama announced Richardson as his choice for commerce secretary, according to sources familiar with the investigation. New subpoenas were issued, and testimony was scheduled from officials at J.P. Morgan Chase who worked for the state with CDR and from the director of Richardson's political action committees.

CDR's selection drew FBI interest because the firm did not make an initial list of the most qualified bidders. The bidding was reopened for review, and a state committee headed by one of Richardson's former top aides later helped select CDR.

A legal source familiar with the investigation said yesterday that FBI agents, working on the Senate's behalf and conducting a background check of Richardson for the Commerce job, conveyed to Obama's transition team the seriousness and significance of the Albuquerque grand jury probe.

The agents are said to have communicated that the governor's top aides -- and even Richardson's actions -- were under scrutiny. At least two sources familiar with the investigation said some evidence raises concern about the propriety of the Richardson administration's interactions with a donor.

Obama aides declined to comment on any conversations the transition team may have had with the FBI about the investigation.

The inquiry springs from a long-running nationwide investigation by the Justice Department into "pay-to-play" practices in local government bond markets. Federal investigators are questioning whether financial firms have lavished politicians with money and gifts in exchange for high fees on work advising municipal and local governments on investments.

In mid-December, Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the governor was "aware of questions surrounding some financial transactions at the New Mexico Finance Authority" and expected state officials to cooperate fully.

CDR's attorney, Richard Beckler, declined several weeks ago to elaborate on the investigation, but he told a Washington Post reporter Dec. 15 that the company "has always tried to abide by these byzantine campaign finance regulations and is cooperating fully with this investigation."

The suddenness of Richardson's withdrawal renewed questions about the Obama team's vetting procedures. The New Mexico investigation had been publicized since the summer, yet aides to the president-elect said yesterday that they were not aware of the matter when Richardson was nominated. Richardson advisers insisted that the governor had relayed information about the investigation to transition officials before his name was announced.
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"I think our vetters have done a good job," incoming Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs said last night, crediting the "impressive . . . totality of our Cabinet picks."

A senior transition aide said yesterday that Richardson had assured the team that he would emerge unscathed by the investigation and that there was no reason to think otherwise. "But it became clear that confirmation hearings would have to be delayed until the investigation was complete and that would take six weeks or, perhaps, longer. Governor Richardson concluded that this was too long, and he decided to withdraw," the aide said.

Gallegos, the Richardson spokesman, said yesterday that the governor considered asking Obama to delay sending his name to Capitol Hill until the case was concluded.

"He was hopeful that his name would be cleared and it would be wrapped up before his confirmation," Gallegos said. Over the weekend, when it became clear that would not happen, Richardson decided to withdraw, Gallegos said.

Obama praised Richardson yesterday and said that he looked forward to having the governor serve his administration in some capacity.

Staff writer Chris Cillizza contributed to this report.