Richardson Reportedly Cleared in Pay-to-Play Probe

By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 27, 2009 7:19 AM CDT
Richardson Reportedly Cleared in Pay-to-Play Probe
In this Jan. 5, 2009 file photo, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson speaks during a news conference in Santa Fe, NM, after withdrawing his nomination as Commerce Department secretary.   (Craig Fritz)

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former members of his administration will not face charges in a yearlong pay-to-play investigation, a source tells the AP. A federal grand jury has been probing whether lucrative work on state bond deals was improperly awarded to a Richardson donor—derailing his nomination as Commerce secretary in the Obama administration. Top Justice Department officials made the call, says an insider: "It's over. There's nothing. It was killed in Washington."

Federal investigators reviewed whether political contributions influenced the selection of California-based CDR Financial Products as an adviser on state transportation bond transactions, and whether Richardson's former chief of staff played a role in the hiring of CDR. The company's CEO and his firm contributed $110,000 to Richardson political committees in 2003-2005, with the largest donation made less than a week before winning a big contract.
(More Bill Richardson stories.)

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