Richardson soaking in lobbyist money

Maybe you read about some of this in Saturday's Blue Radar.  Apparently, lobbyists are opening their wallets for the Governor from New Mexico.  The problem is he just cannot resist the temptation.

So does Bill Richardson have the judgment to be president?  You decide, based on this AP analysis:

Among the contributions to Richardson:

_ About $30,400 fromexecutives and a state lobbyist for the media and entertainmentcompany, Lionsgate. The state offers tax incentives and interest-freeloans for films shot in New Mexico. Lionsgate has done severalproductions in the state and the company is planning a studio nearAlbuquerque.

_ Nearly $25,000 from executives, officers and statelobbyists for ValueOptions, which has a contract to manage mentalhealth and substance abuse services for the state. The chairman of thecompany, Ron Dozoretz, and his wife, Beth, each contributed the maximumamount of $4,600 to Richardson and hosted a fundraiser for him earlierthis year. They are friends of Richardson, according to a campaignspokesman. The Virginia-based company won the state contract in 2005after a competitive bidding process.

_ About $19,700 fromexecutives, lobbyists and a PAC of the state's largest electricutility, Public Service Company of New Mexico. Richardson used one ofthe utility's lobbyists as an on-loan staffer during this year'slegislative session. The lobbyist didn't receive a state salary andremained on the utility's payroll while he worked in the governor'soffice from mid-November until April. However, the arrangement didn'tviolate any laws, according to the state's attorney general.

_About $16,000 came from executives, a state lobbyist and a politicalaction committee affiliated with the GEO Group Inc., which was paid $41million by the state last year for housing inmates in its privatelyoperated prisons in New Mexico. The state started using theFlorida-based company's prisons before Richardson took office. However,another GEO-operated prison is under construction and the state plansto house inmates in it. The Richardson administration contracted withthe company in 2005 to manage a long-term care and rehabilitationmedical center.

No wonder he defended Hillary in the last debate.  Richardson is endorsing the same closed-government mindset by relying on the special interests to fund his candidacy.

Comments

[granny]

I love combining the skills and mind set of running prisons with long term care and rehabilitative medical care. Such a warm fuzzy touch.