What Blogs are Saying

Michelle Malkin

The Chinagate/Buddhist temple cash skeletons in Gary Locke's closet

... Now, former Democrat Gov. Gary Locke -- a lawyer for international firm Davis, Wright, and Tremaine who specializes in China -- is rumored to be the next nominee for the post. The MSM is pulling for him. WaPo writes: "Locke is regarded as a safe choice by senior officials in the Obama administration given his long history in public life, his strait-laced reputation and his bipartisan governing credentials." Wishful thinking? Willful cluelessness? Probably a bit of both.

I covered Gary Locke when I worked at the Seattle Times. I dealt with his campaign and gubernatorial staffs. "Strait-laced" is not the adjective I'd use for my dealings with him and his people.

In response to my columns pressing Locke on his close ties to campaign finance crook John Huang, the governor's office first stonewalled. His standard Democrat smokescreen? Play the race card and play the victim. ...

Hot Air

Team Obama: Richardson misled us

It looks as if Barack Obama and his transition team know how badly Bill Richardson's resignation reflects on them. They have started leaking to the press that Richardson's to blame for the embarrassing spectacle this afternoon of his withdrawal as a Cabinet nominee. Jake Tapper has the details:

Michelle Malkin

Richardson: "Disappointed" and "hurt" by turn of events, but the real issue is people are losing their houses!

Bill Richardson is "disappointed" in the turn of the events. Has "faith" in the process. Excited about returning to work on the state budget. Refuses to talk about the probe or his conversations with Obama.

Curmudgeon's Corner

Obama appointee #1 (Bill Richardson) goes under the bus

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

Wenholee.org

Opposition to Bill Richardson's Nomination to Commerce Secretary

As concerned citizens, we write to express our opposition to the appointment of Bill Richardson as the Secretary of Commerce. Our objection relates to Richardson's actions as Energy Secretary in violating Dr. Wen Ho Lee's due process rights by prematurely terminating Dr. Lee's employment, advancing the indictment of Dr. Lee when there was no evidence that he had engaged in espionage, and fueling suspicion about the loyalties of dedicated, hard-working Chinese-Americans. Richardson's actions raise serious questions about his judgment and sense of fairness, requisite qualifications of a presidential Cabinet nominee. Until Richardson concedes and apologizes for his actions, we will continue to object to his nomination.

1. Richardson has yet to acknowledge that he violated Dr. Wen Ho Lee's due process rights. ... [supporting evidence]

2. Richardson fails to acknowledge his role in exacerbating suspicion towards Chinese-Americans as disloyal citizens of the U.S. ... [supporting evidence]

3. Richardson has not acknowledged his culpability in participating in the decision to indict Dr. Wen Ho Lee. ... [supporting evidence]

4. Richardson has not acknowledged that his actions at the time reinforced the notion that the ethnic profiling of Asian Americans is an acceptable practice. ... [supporting evidence]

5. Despite the presiding judge's rebuke, Richardson continues to stand by his decisions. ... [supporting evidence]

...

Also see videos, judges statements, and additional facts.

Judicial Watch

new Commerce Secretary is being investigated for giving a shady company a lucrative state deal

... new Commerce Secretary is being investigated for giving a shady company a lucrative state deal after it donated tens of thousands of dollars to his political action committee.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson awarded a California-based financial firm a coveted state contract even though the company had a documented history of doing bad work, including pushing an Alabama county into potential municipal bankruptcy. New Mexico's Finance Authority--which is controlled by the governor--suspiciously rewarded the firm, CDR Financial Products Inc, $1.5 million to do similarly bad work there.

The governor appoints five of 12 directors to the state's finance authority, including the chairman. Five other directors are members of the governor's cabinet, which means that Richardson essentially runs the agency. The suspicious deal caught the attention of federal authorities because CDR Financial Products had just given Richardson a generous $100,000 to, among other things, help pay for expenses at the 2004 Democratic Convention.

Investigators are scrutinizing whether Richardson, a second-term governor who was Bill Clinton's Energy Secretary, influenced the hiring of the shady financial company. ...