According to Mark Evans of the Associated Press, a donor of Bill Richardson is being investigated by a federal grand jury for possible involvement in some "pay to play" activity. Richardson, the Democratic Governor of New Mexico and nominee to be Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary, wouldn't confirm the grand jury investigation but his office did acknowledge the questions surrounding the New Mexico Finance Authority.
CDR Financial Products contributed to in the past to Richardson's political coffers. CDR was paid $1.5 million from 2004 to 2005 for its contract work with the state in bond management, and there's some speculation that the timing of these two transactions is curious.
CDR and its CEO, David Rubin, have contributed at least $110,000 to three political committees formed by Richardson, according to an AP review of campaign finance records.
The largest donation, $75,000, was made by CDR in June 2004 - a couple of months after the transportation financing arrangement won state approval - to a political committee that Richardson established before the Democratic National Convention that year.
As suspect as the timing may be, it's no smoking gun. I genuinely hope to God that it isn't true. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be shocked if it were. I never liked Richardson. I'll like him a heck of a lot less if he joins the ranks of stupid and corrupt Democrats that care not for progressive or traditional or common-sense values and ends up taking a dump on Obama's lawn before Obama even has his own puppy to do that same thing.
We need better Democrats.
Update:
On the other hand, isn't New Mexico the state where some guy named David Iglesias was based? Curious.
Speaking of potential corruption; Becerra is out as Obama's choice for trade rep. I wonder why.