Gary Locke had trouble in the past involving campaign contributions

[IndianaGreen]

I recalled a scandal involving Locke, so I went and google it:

Locke was briefly linked to the scandal over foreign contributions to President Bill Clinton's 1996 campaign. In July 1998, he gave a deposition to the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight about his relationships with questioned Clinton donors. But the committee subsequently said the deposition produced no evidence that Locke knowingly accepted illegal campaign donations.

Locke denied any wrongdoing, and he subsequently returned some checks tied to people implicated in the fundraising scandal, including $750 from John Huang. The former Commerce Department official was the Democratic Party's chief fund raiser for the Asian-American population in the 1996 elections, and he became one of the central figures in the national Democratic Party fundraising scandal.

Also, in December 1997, Locke's political committee was fined a maximum $2,500 by state regulators after it admitted breaking campaign finance laws during two out-of-state fundraisers in 1996.

And in March 1998, state investigators cleared Locke of wrongdoing following complaints that he unlawfully took $10,000 in campaign contributions from members of a Buddhist church.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008776563_apobamacommerce.html

[rsmith6621]

1. So Lets Just Nominate....Jesus..

He is perfect just ask Him...

[IndianaGreen]

3. According to Seattle Times article, Locke is doing work with China

which will raise additional questions as to precisely what sort of work Locke is doing with Davis Wright Tremaine involving China.

[rvablue]

2. Every single Congressman on the Hill has had to return a campaign contribution at one time

or another.

This shouldn't effect his nomination, IMO.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Locke's law firm partners helped Guantanamo captives

Very commendable pro bono legal work, but one that I am sure some people will seek to exploit for political gain.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Even John McCain has had to return contributions....

Archive for Friday, August 08, 2008
McCain returns Californians’ money
Questions have arisen about how the gifts were solicited. The contributions are linked to Florida businessman Harry Sargeant.

By Dan Morain and Christian Berthelsen
August 08, 2008 in print edition A-17

John McCain decided Thursday to return about $50,000 in campaign contributions from California donors, after media reports questioned how a businessman with a lucrative federal defense contract raised the money.

Harry Sargeant III, a prominent figure in the Florida Republican Party, has raised about $500,000 for McCain’s presidential bid.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/08/nation/na-mccainmoney8

AND

Multiple Oil Company Executives Gave Huge Contributions To Electing McCain Just Days After Offshore Drilling Reversal
By Greg Sargent and Eric Kleefeld - August 4, 2008, 12:47PM

Ten senior Hess Corporation executives and/or members of the Hess family each gave $28,500 to the joint RNC-McCain fundraising committee, just days after McCain reversed himself to favor offshore drilling, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

Nine of these contributions, seven from Hess executives and two from members of the Hess family, came on the same day, June 24th, the records show. The total collected in the wake of McCain's reversal for the fund, called McCain Victory 2008, from Hess execs and family is
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/oil_company_executives.php

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. I suspect his race is going to come up sooner or later.

A Chinese-American commerce secretary in this economic climate? Somebody's going to stick their foot in their mouth sooner or later.