Obama Team Feels Richardson Wasn't Forthcoming About Investigation Before Being Offered Commerce

[babylonsister]

"sources say"

Obama Team Feels Richardson Wasn't Forthcoming About Investigation Before Being Offered Commerce

January 04, 2009 4:15 PM


Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming with them about the federal investigation that is looking into whether the governor steered a state contract towards a major financial contributor.

Once the investigation became more widely known through national media reports last month, sources tell ABC News, the Obama Transition Team realized the FBI would not be able to give Richardson a clean political bill of health before the new administration is ready to send his nomination up to the Senate for confirmation.

The Richardson camp says the governor was forthcoming, with sources close to the governor noting that there had been reports about the controversy in local media such as the Albuquerque Journal as far back as August 2008. The governor discussed the investigation with the Obama team, they say, and believes that he and his administration have done nothing wrong.

From 2004 to 2005, CDR Financial Products, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company founded and run by David Rubin, received nearly $1.5 million through the New Mexico Finance Authority for advising the state in a complex highway funding project pushed by Richardson. In roughly that same time period, CDR and Rubin gave approximately $100,000 to political organizations run by Richardson, including one that paid for his and his staff's expenses at the 2004 Democratic convention. Neither the grand jury nor the FBI has interviewed Richardson.

more...

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/01/obama-team-feel.html

[ClarkUSA]

1. The "sources" are out to smear Richardson -- you can bet it's not Team O putting this out.

Gee, I wonder what faction of the Democratic Party would want to make Richardson look bad?

[Metric System]

4. Insanity. You have a rabid case of CDS (perhaps the worst on DU).

[AtomicKitten]

7. and you are a stalker that tries to bully people with your Clinton First mindset

[Metric System]

8. Uh, huh. Sure. Excuse me, but you're the one going around casting apersions against the Clintons &

even little ole me on another thread, where you wrote: "I'm good with it (Obama winning the nomination and then Presidency). You? Not so much, apparently." I asked you to back up that accusation and of course I received no response. I have been very pleased with Obama so far and nowhere have I attacked him on DU.

[ClarkUSA]

18. This is the second thread where I've been where you've made offensive attacks on AK or me.

Stalking is against DU rules, ya know. Cut it out.

[Metric System]

20. Stalking? You've got to be kidding me. God forbid anybody should disagree with you. And as I

pointed out up thread, the poster I was responding to made an accusation against me without providing evidence in another thread.

[ClarkUSA]

23. Let's see if you end up attacking me again with the same old primary wars refrain, eh?

That's all you do to both AK and I. You've gotta move on. I have.

[Metric System]

25. Again, where am I talking about the primaries or attacking Obama? Please point it out.

[ClarkUSA]

28. I didn't say you attacked Obama. I said you've attacked AK and I in two separate threads already.

I've only been here for a little while after an holiday absence and it's clear you are as thin skinned as ever about real
or imagined slights to the Clintons. Sad. You've got to stop being so hostile.

[Metric System]

29. And you talk about offensive attacks.

[ClarkUSA]

31. I have defended myself against your unsubstantiated attack against me on this thread, that's all.

:shrug:

[Marrah_G]

70. Save your sanity

Put them on ignore. It makes DU a much more enjoyable place.

[ClarkUSA]

12. Whatever are you ranting about now? Is the only reason you're at DU is to attack people?

You need to move on from the primary wars, my dear. I have.

[Metric System]

22. Sure you have. Hilarious. And how am I trying to rehash the primary wars? The poster I was

responding to made a similar accusation in another thread and I asked him to back it up. Of course he didn't. I haven't attacked Obama and I don't appreciate the insinuation that I'm still upset over the primaries. I am past them and I am please with Obama's performance thus far.

[ClarkUSA]

30. You made an over-the-top accusation against me that replays the primary wars.

I said nothing about the Clintons. :shrug:

[Metric System]

35. Then just what were you implying when you wrote: "Gee I wonder what faction of the Democratic Party

would want to make Richardson look bad?"

[ClarkUSA]

36. Um, I asked a simple but very pertinent question, given the fact that Team O does not leak...

I would think that would be obvious. :shrug:

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. I agree there's no proof, so don't jump 2 conclusions, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's true.

[blm]

73. Well, it's apparent that YOU recognize factions of party and responded in kind.

So....if the shoe DOESN'T fit, then why did you even bother trying it on?

[Metric System]

74. Who's talking to you?

[blm]

75. Hahah....the shoe fit and that is what bothers you.

.

[Metric System]

76. Yeah, sure, that's it. Now run along and post one of your conspiracies.

[blm]

78. Right - because in YOUR world BCCI crimes NEVER happened and IranContra was a parking ticket.

Siding with BushInc and downplaying those matters as conspiracy theory certainly shows which Dems are complicit and cooperative with the global fascists.

[Kahuna]

40. I feel ya, ClarkUSA...

you should probably use that "ignore" thingy. ;) And no, you are not being paranoid.

[ClarkUSA]

45. Thanks, Kahuna...

;)

[Beacool]

58. Metric, why waste your breath?

Those two will always despise the Clintons. Who cares what they think?

:eyes:

[ClarkUSA]

63. Hi Beacool! Happy New Obama Year 1 to you!

I'm sorry to see you are also making baseless accusations. Maybe someday you can move on from your primary war grudges, too.
I sure hope so, because we're all in this together, right? What a great time to be a politico, though! I'm especially looking forward
to Hillary being replaced by Sen. Caroline Kennedy. :)

:party: Obama Is 44 :woohoo:

[Beacool]

65. Hi Clark, Happy New Year to you too, my dear frenemy.

Yeah you, don't act all innocent, you and a few others continually attack anything Clinton and then tell the rest of us to get over the primaries. Tsk, tsk.....

As for Caroline, she's as qualified as any other Manhattan socialite.

Whatever.......

:eyes:

Here's hoping that this year finds you in good health and employed. It's the two things that I wish for everybody considering the times we are living.

:toast:

[ClarkUSA]

68. What's with the "frenemy" nonsense? I'm a fellow Democrat, after all. You REALLY need to move on.

You just proved my point.

And I attacked nothing "Clinton" on this thread yet I was attacked by people making the typical
primary war outrage noises. It's sad and very obvious that many of you seem to be unable to move on.
I know I have.

Oh, and I am not your frenemy and never will be. Move on.

[Beacool]

69. Clark, the frenemy was a joke.

But, you seem surprised that people would assume you meant the Clinton camp after your comment that Obama's team doesn't leak. If you didn't mean the Clintons, then precisely who were you referring to? You can't blame Metric and others who know full well that you have no use for Hillary, for thinking that you were obliquely accusing the Clinton camp of the leak.

As for being a fellow Democrat, too many Democrats in the party and on the left eviscerated Hillary and Bill far more than the right ever did, and I for one will never forget it.

;)

[ClarkUSA]

72. Your personal attacks against me on this thread gives me reason to doubt your words.

Despite the paranoid reaction many have had to it here on this thread, my simple question is just that: a question.
Period.

"As for being a fellow Democrat, too many Democrats in the party and on the left eviscerated Hillary and Bill far
more than the right ever did, and I for one will never forget it."

It is clear you and others here refuse to move on. I feel sorry for you and have nothing more to say to you.

[GarbagemanLB]

6. Seriously? You are going to blame this on the Clintons or their supporters? Seriously?

Jesus christ.

[AtomicKitten]

9. ClarkUSA didn't mention the Clintons. You are the one connecting those dots.

[GarbagemanLB]

11. Yeah, he just implied it. I bet you believe that bullshit as well?

[ClarkUSA]

16. And how did I do that?

:shrug:

[danania]

37. It is evident that you implied that the Clinton faction of the Democratic Party spoke to Tapper

Since the "Clinton faction" would be the only one that competed fiercely with Obama's faction during the primaries. I doubt you were speaking about the Kucinich faction.

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[danania]

44. So if I was wrong, please tell us what faction of the Democratic Party you were referring to

That would put an end to the debate. And as far as I know, the right to opine is not directly proportional to post counts. If I have an opinion at 2 posts I won't wait till 2011 to express it.

[ClarkUSA]

46. Your question mirrors the one by Metric System... so I will link to my answer.

Link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8056495&mesg_id=8056799

Can't wait for your other posts... I'm sure they'll all be strangely familiar, too. :eyes:

[Metric System]

47. WTF? First of all, I'm a guy. Second of all, I'm not using a puppet. You and that other poster

certainly are good at making insinuations without providing evidence. I really don't appreciate this.

[ClarkUSA]

48. Um, I never said that you were "a puppet" or a woman. You're good at making up stuff, eh?

Speaking of insinuations, you're the one who came at me with your totally unsubstantiated accusations and mean-spirited
primary war retread attacks. I really don't appreciate that. You'd better move on and stop attacking the same people
over and over again for imagined slights against the Clintons because the primaries are over.

[Metric System]

50. You insinuated that I am using a sock puppet, otherwise why did you write "Your question mirrors

the one by Metric System...Can't wait for your other posts... I'm sure they'll all be strangely familiar, too." If you're not suggesting that I am also posting as this poster named danania, then I better log off for the night because I must be losing it.

As for the woman part, your post referred to me as "her" but I see you since removed that. I wasn't offended by that, just confused by the whole post and what I felt was an unfair insinuation about using a sock puppet.

[ClarkUSA]

53. You're again jumping to conclusions as I simply pointed out some obvious similarities.

As for "unfair insinuation" perhaps you should good look at yourself in the mirror before you accuse others of it.

:shrug:

[Metric System]

56. You are unbelievable. Obvious similarities? Yeah, you're doing it again.

[ClarkUSA]

60. I'm doing what again? Answering your question?

Now considering how you've insulted me with a constant barrage of baseless accusations/attacks from the beginning of this thread
until now, I think I've been rather gracious in return. I guess Barack's cool style is rubbing off on me. Try it sometime. The primaries
are over, you know. :)

[ClarkUSA]

55. How is it "evident"? You and others seem a bit paranoid, to say the least.

I asked a simple and obvious question, given the circumstances described in the OP so don't blame me for your own conclusions.

:shrug:

[snooper2]

57. I thought he meant the DLC wing

Everything has to be about a Clinton though right :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Balderdash]

32. self delete

[grantcart]

39. I think the two of them have some insane love crush that forces them into these

frenzied spats (ala Frazier and his boss at the radio station).

[ClarkUSA]

13. I didn't say anything of the kind. Why are you so touchy?

Guilty conscience?

[GarbagemanLB]

15. Considering I voted for Obama in the fucking primary and supported him since 2007? No.

I definitely am not paranoid, which is a claim I don't think you can make.

[ClarkUSA]

17. Then stop making totally unsubstantiated accusations like someone refighting the primary wars.

:)

[dsc]

19. Your namesake would be honest

It is beyond absurd that your post wasn't meant to imply that people around the Clintons were responsible for the story against Richardson. At least own up to your opinions.

[ClarkUSA]

21. I asked a question.... obviously, there are some of you who answered me with your own guesses.

Don't blame me for your own conclusions.

[Metric System]

51. Judging by this answer and others in this thread, it is clear to me that you are playing games. You

know damn well what you were implying in your response.

[ClarkUSA]

61. You sound like a broken record. I've said my peace. Take it or leave it.

You'd better move on from your primary war grudge against me. It's getting ridiculous. :tinfoilhat:

[Beacool]

59. Same advice as I gave Metric, don't waste your time arguing with these two.

They despise anything Clinton, just ignore what they say, it's not worth it.

:eyes:

[ClarkUSA]

64. There you go again... I wish you'd stop trying to refight the primary wars.

I've moved on. I wish you would. It's time to unite behind President Obama and support his domestic and foreign policy agendas. :)

[Beacool]

66. I'm not refighting anything, but continue to attack my gal and I will continue to defend her.

As for Obama, I'll withhold judgment on his performance as president until he's actually in office doing the job. The same as I would do for any other president.

Here's hoping 2009 is a massive improvement over 2008.

;)

[ClarkUSA]

67. Reading your comments, it's difficult to interpret it in any other way. And I attacked no one.

Quite the contrary, I feel that I have been quite patient and gracious in the face of nasty attacks and baseless
accusations by the same predictable characters on this thread. I wish y'all would move on.

:shrug:

[Marrah_G]

71. Save your sanity

Put every last one of the fuckers on ignore. They are not worth one moment of your time.

[Beacool]

77. Good advice, though I have never placed anyone on ignore.

Nor have I ever alerted on anyone. I believe in freedom of expression and I deplore that too many people were banned simply because they didn't toe the DU party line 100%. So, I don't do it to others. One track thinking is noxious to any democracy.

:hi:

[redstate_democrat]

2. I thought the story about Richardson appeared in the paper in August?

[Garbo 2004]

3. It did and other rpts later. Which is why I was surprised he passed vetting.

I wasn't even paying attention and I read about the investigation.

The FBI investigation was first reported in August. But I recall reading an article after the election and thought that would preclude a nomination for Cabinet for Richardson. Can't understand that the transition team now "shocked, shocked." Perhaps the difference now is that in December it became public that a grand jury is now involved. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121502940.html?wprss=rss_politics

[Alcibiades]

62. You're right

I was surprised they chose Richardson at Commerce, considering that all the talk in the VP selection process was how Richardson "doesn't vet well."

[Cha]

5. The corporate media whores are out to

destroy Obama Team anyway they can and yet bush and cheney are going around not wearing orange jumpsuits.

Fuck the corporatemedia and the heinous jackals they rode in on.

[firedupdem]

10. You said it perfectly. It's fucking ridiculous. One thing after another

as the assholes currently in office slink out of sight.

[Thrill]

14. Just imagine, if he was offered Sec of State

[IndianaGreen]

26. Imagine if Obama had picked John Edwards as VP

there is always a worse scenario, such as pruning the forest.

[IndianaGreen]

24. So now the O-team is blaming Richardson?

Isn't this politics as usual?

[janx]

27. It's gossip as usual, but it passes for news, because

"sources say."

;-)

[Cha]

33. Right, anyone who automatically takes

what the corporatemedia says as fact hasn't been paying attention the last 8 years.

[babylonsister]

38. "sources say" is not the O-team saying anything, which

is why that was emphasized.

[Kahuna]

41. Consider the source. Jake Tapper is a disgusting POS. He's always

trying to find something..anything to smear Obama. He was one of the first in the chorus of, 'Obama is uppi...er arrogant,' meme. If you notice, everything he blogs about Obama is negative.

[K Gardner]

43. No. The "O Team" wouldn't do that. Two years of primary wars have

taught anyone paying attention that much.

[Jennicut]

54. The MSM wants you to believe that or are you naive?

Really, "sources say" and "Abc news" to me equals crap.

[McCamy Taylor]

34. Why divide and conquer when we all know that the Bush DOJ persecutes Dems for a living?

Don't make things unnecessarily complicated. If Obama wants cabinet people that will never be targeted by this Justice Department, he had better pick only Republicans.

[Mass]

49. Tapper + sources say. It tells us all we need to know.