Bill Richardson, who was going to help the new administration create jobs as Commerce Secretary, is giving up his own even before he starts.
Stepping down under the cloud of a pay-to-play investigation, Richardson joins a parade of Democratic governors plagued by scandal in the past year (Spitzer, Blagojevich) and, more disturbing, the second former would-be presidential nominee and potential VP on Barack Obama's list last summer (John Edwards).
Richardson's departure statement, with the usual protestations of innocence, has a curious reference to remaining in his job as governor of New Mexico and continuing to "work every day, with Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, to make a positive difference in the lives of New Mexicans. I believe she will be a terrific governor in the future."
Say what? Is Richardson suggesting an unhappy outcome for his legal troubles? In any case, his leaving the new cabinet before entering it is an unhappy reflection on the Obama vetting process and a sad blow to the pride of Hispanic Americans in his appointment.
Showing posts with label Obama vetting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obama vetting. Show all posts
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Monday, December 01, 2008
Clintons Front and Center Again
Barack Obama unveils a new national security team today with old faces, not least of which is the ghostly presence of Bill Clinton hovering in the background.
After weeks of negotiation, the former First Lady will be named Secretary of State, but where Obama vetting leaves off, the Senate confirmation process will take up untangling the former President's private foreign policy empire.
Sen. Dick Lugar, ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee indicated yesterday that "there will be questions raised, and probably legitimate questions” about Bill Clinton's "cosmic ties."
The New York Times reports Clinton will disclose names of more than 200,000 donors to his foundation, refuse contributions from foreign governments to the Clinton Global Initiative, his annual charitable conference, stop holding its meetings overseas, let his speaking schedule be reviewed by the State Department and White House counsel and submit new sources of income to an ethical review.
“It’s a big step,” Senator Lugar says of the agreement, but there will almost certainly be Republican efforts to dig deeper for potential conflicts of interest.
During the primary campaign, there was widespread resentment about continuing the Clinton/Bush dynasties in Washington but, now that W's Neo-Cons are being sent off to the national security nursing home, here are the Clintons front and center again in the era of Change.
After weeks of negotiation, the former First Lady will be named Secretary of State, but where Obama vetting leaves off, the Senate confirmation process will take up untangling the former President's private foreign policy empire.
Sen. Dick Lugar, ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee indicated yesterday that "there will be questions raised, and probably legitimate questions” about Bill Clinton's "cosmic ties."
The New York Times reports Clinton will disclose names of more than 200,000 donors to his foundation, refuse contributions from foreign governments to the Clinton Global Initiative, his annual charitable conference, stop holding its meetings overseas, let his speaking schedule be reviewed by the State Department and White House counsel and submit new sources of income to an ethical review.
“It’s a big step,” Senator Lugar says of the agreement, but there will almost certainly be Republican efforts to dig deeper for potential conflicts of interest.
During the primary campaign, there was widespread resentment about continuing the Clinton/Bush dynasties in Washington but, now that W's Neo-Cons are being sent off to the national security nursing home, here are the Clintons front and center again in the era of Change.
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