Richardson Withdraws as Commerce Nominee
By BRIAN KNOWLTON
WASHINGTON — Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, one of the country’s most prominent Hispanic politicians and President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be commerce secretary, on Sunday dropped out of consideration for that post. He attributed his decision to the ongoing investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico.
Mr. Richardson said that he would continue as governor, and he added, “Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact.”
His decision came, he said, after he had concluded “that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process.” Mr. Richardson said in a statement, released by the Obama campaign, that the investigation might last weeks or months.
The withdrawal was one of the most direct setbacks to face Mr. Obama since his election, and it came after he had assembled his list of cabinet nominees in near-record time. Mr. Obama, who was flying late Sunday to join his family in Washington after a vacation in Hawaii, said he had accepted Mr. Richardson’s decision “with deep regret.”
“Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of commerce secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office,” Mr. Obama said. He vowed to quickly put forward a new nominee.
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