Bill Richardson (politician)
All you want to know about Bill Richardson (politician)
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William Blaine Richardson III
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 Governor Bill Richardson in Kensington, New Hampshire, 2006 |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2003 |
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| Lieutenant | Diane Denish |
| Preceded by | Gary E. Johnson |
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| In office August 18, 1998 – January 20, 2001 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Federico Peña |
| Succeeded by | Spencer Abraham |
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| In office January 21, 1997 – August 18, 1998 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Madeleine Albright |
| Succeeded by | Richard Holbrooke |
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| In office January 3, 1983 – February 13, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | N/A (newly created district) |
| Succeeded by | William T. Redmond |
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| Born | November 15, 1947 Pasadena, California, USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Barbara Richardson |
| Residence | Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Alma mater | Tufts University |
| Occupation | Diplomat, Business Consultant |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Welcome to the New Mexico Office of the Governor, Bill Richardson |
William Blaine "Bill" Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is the current Governor of New Mexico. He was the first Hispanic candidate for the 2008 Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States. He was involved in several diplomatic efforts as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and afterwards and emphasized foreign policy issues during his Presidential run. He also previously served as a U.S. Representative and as the U.S. Secretary of Energy.[1] He was chairman of the 2004 Democratic National Convention as well as Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association in 2005 and 2006, overseeing the Democrats' re-capturing of a majority of the country's governorships. Richardson was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the release of hostages, American servicemen, and political prisoners in North Korea, Iraq, and Cuba. Currently he is cited in media reports as a leading contender for the position of Secretary of Commerce in the cabinet of President-elect Barack Obama.[2][3]
Early life and education
Bill Richardson was born in Pasadena, California to María Luisa López-Collada Márquez (born in Asturias, Spain in 1914)[4] and William Blaine Richardson Jr. (1891–1972), a Nicaragua-born Citibank executive[5] who lived and worked in Mexico City for decades. Richardson's mother was a socialite in Mexico,[6] and she largely took care of him during his youth. He has a younger sister, Vesta. Just before Richardson was born, his mother was sent to California, where her husband's sister lived, to give birth because, as Richardson explained, "My father had a complex about not having been born in the United States."[7] Three of his four grandparents were Mexican citizens, and he identifies himself as Hispanic.[7] Richardson, a U.S. citizen by birthright, was raised during his childhood in Mexico City.[6] At age 13, Richardson's parents sent him to Massachusetts to attend a Boston-area preparatory school, Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, where he played baseball as a pitcher. He entered Tufts University in 1966 where he continued to play baseball.
Richardson's original biographies stated that he had been drafted by the Kansas City Athletics and The Chicago Cubs to play professional baseball, but a 2005 Albuquerque Journal investigation revealed that he never was on any official draft. Richardson acknowledged the error which he claimed was unintentional, saying that he had been scouted by several teams and told that he "would or could" be drafted, but was mistaken in saying that he was actually drafted.[8]
In 1967, he pitched in the amateur Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers in Cotuit, Massachusetts. A Kettleers program included the words "Drafted by K.C." The information which according to the investigation was generally provided by the players or their college coaches. Richardson said:
- "When I saw that program in 1967, I was convinced I was drafted...And it stayed with me all these years."[9]
He earned a Bachelor's degree at Tufts in 1970, majoring in French and political science and was a brother and president of Delta Tau Delta. He went on to earn a master's degree in international affairs from Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1971. While still in high school, he met his future wife, Barbara Flavin. They married in 1972 and have no children.
Early political career
After college, Richardson worked for Republican Congressman F. Bradford Morse from Massachusetts. He was later a staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Richardson worked on congressional relations for the Henry Kissinger State Department during the Nixon Administration.
U.S. Congressman
In 1978, Richardson moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and ran for Congress in 1980 as a Democrat, losing narrowly to longtime 1st District congressman and future United States Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan (R). Two years later, Richardson was elected to New Mexico's newly-created third district, taking in most of the northern part of the state.
Richardson spent a little more than 14 years in Congress, during which time he represented the country's most diverse district and held 2,000 town meetings.[6]
Richardson served as Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in the 98th Congress (1983–1985) and as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Native American Affairs in the 103rd Congress (1993–1994). While in the House, Richardson sponsored bills such as the Indian Tribal Justice Act, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act Amendments, the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act, the American Indian Agricultural Resource Management Act, the Indian Dams Safety Act, the Tribal Self-Governance Act, the Indian Tribal Jurisdiction Bill (commonly known as the “Duro Fix”) and the Jicarilla Apache Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act.
He became a member of the Democratic leadership as a deputy majority whip, where he befriended Bill Clinton after they worked closely on several issues.[6] Clinton in turn sent Richardson on various foreign policy missions, including a trip in 1996 in which Richardson traveled to Baghdad with Peter Bourne and engaged in lengthy one-on-one negotiations with Saddam Hussein to secure the release of two American aerospace workers who had been captured by the Iraqis after wandering over the Kuwaiti border. Richardson also visited Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cuba, Peru, India, North Korea, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Sudan to represent U.S. interests and met with Slobodan Milosevic.[6] Due to these missions, Richardson was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times.[6]
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
In 1997, Clinton appointed Richardson as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. As ambassador, he represented the United States in UN proceedings regarding the Palestinian National Authority and the State of Israel,[10] the completion of negotiations that strengthened the role and mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme regarding ecologically sustainable development,[11] as well as other duties of an ambassador to the UN. Richardson served there until 1998, when he was appointed U.S. Secretary of Energy, a post that he held for the remainder of the Clinton administration. According to his autobiography, Richardson was asked by the White House in 1997 to interview Monica Lewinsky for a job on his staff at the UN. Richardson did so, and offered her a position, which she declined.[12] The American Spectator provided evidence that Richardson knew more about the Lewinsky affair than he declared to the grand jury.[13]
U.S. Secretary of Energy
The Senate confirmed Richardson to be Clinton's Secretary of Energy on July 31, 1998. His tenure at the Department of Energy was marred by the Wen Ho Lee nuclear espionage scandal, during which Richardson publicly named Lee, an employee at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, as a suspect who might have given nuclear secrets to the Chinese government; Lee later was cleared of the charges and won a settlement against the federal government for the accusation.[14] Richardson was also criticized by the Senate for his handling of the espionage inquiry, which involved missing hard drives with sensitive data, by not testifying in front of Congress sooner. Richardson justified his response by saying that he was waiting to uncover more information before speaking to Congress.[15] Republican Senators called for Richardson's resignation while both parties criticized his role in the incident, and the scandal ended Richardson's hope of being named as Al Gore's running mate for the 2000 presidential election.[6]
Richardson tightened security as a result of the scandal, along with becoming the first Energy Secretary with a plan to dispose of nuclear waste.[6] He created the Director for Native American Affairs position in the Department in 1998, and in January 2000 oversaw the largest return of federal lands, 84,000 acres (340 km²), to an Indian Tribe (the Northern Ute Tribe of Utah) in more than 100 years.[16] Richardson also directed the overhaul of the Department's consultation policy with Native American tribes and established the Tribal Energy Program.
Educational and corporate positions
With the end of the Clinton administration in January 2001, Richardson took on a number of different positions. He was an adjunct professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and a lecturer at the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West.[17] In 2000, Bill Richardson was awarded a United States Institute of Peace Senior Fellowship. He spent the next year researching and writing on the negotiations with North Korea and the energy dimensions of U.S. relations.
Richardson also joined Kissinger McLarty Associates, a "strategic advisory firm" headed by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Clinton White House chief of staff Mack McLarty, as Senior Managing Director.[18] From February 2001 to June of 2002, he served on the board of directors of Peregrine Systems, Inc. He also served on the corporate boards of several energy companies, including Valero Energy Corporation and Diamond Offshore Drilling. He withdrew from these boards after being nominated by the Democratic Party for governor of New Mexico, but retained considerable stock holdings in Valero and Diamond Offshore.[19] He would later sell these stocks during his campaign for President in 2007, saying he was "getting questions" about the propriety of these holdings, especially given his past as energy secretary, and that it had become a "distraction."[20]
Governor of New Mexico
Richardson was elected governor of New Mexico in November 2002, having defeated the Republican candidate, John Sanchez, 56–39%. During the campaign, he set a Guinness World Record for most handshakes in eight hours by a politician, breaking Theodore Roosevelt's record.[21] He succeeded a two-term Republican governor, Gary E. Johnson. He took office in January 2003 as the only Hispanic Governor in the United States, other than then-Governor Sila María Calderón of Puerto Rico. In his first year, Richardson proposed "tax cuts to promote growth and investment" and passed a broad personal income tax cut and won a statewide special election to transfer money from the state's Permanent Fund to meet current expenses and projects. In early 2005, Richardson made New Mexico the first state in the nation to provide $400,000 in life insurance coverage for New Mexico National Guardsmen who serve on active duty. Thirty-five states have since followed suit.
Working with the legislature, he formed Governor Richardson's Investment Partnership (GRIP) in 2003. The partnership has been used to fund large-scale public infrastructure projects throughout New Mexico, including, through the use of highway funds, a brand new commuter rail line (the Rail Runner) that runs between Belen, Albuquerque, and Bernalillo. He supported LGBT rights in his career as governor; he added sexual orientation and gender identity to New Mexico's list of civil rights categories. During the summer of 2003, he met with a delegation from North Korea at their request to discuss concerns over that country's use of nuclear energy. At the request of the White House, he also flew to North Korea in 2005, and met with another North Korean delegation in 2006. On December 7, 2006, Richardson was named as the "Special Envoy for Hemispheric Affairs" for the Secretary General of the Organization of American States with the mandate to "promote dialogue on issues of importance to the region, such as immigration and free trade."[22]
He was named Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and announced a desire to increase the role of Democratic governors in deciding the future of their party.
In 2003, Richardson backed and signed legislation creating a permit system for New Mexicans to carry concealed handguns. He applied for and received a concealed weapons permit, though by his own admission he seldom carries a gun.[23]
As discussed frequently on CNN, Richardson supported the New Mexico policy of giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.[citation needed]
In 2006, Forbes credited Richardson's reforms in naming Albuquerque, New Mexico the best city in the U.S. for business and careers. The Cato Institute, meanwhile, has consistently rated Richardson as one of the most fiscally responsible Democratic governors in the nation.
In December 2005, Richardson announced the intention of New Mexico to partner with billionaire Richard Branson to bring space tourism to the proposed Spaceport America located near Las Cruces, New Mexico.
In March 2006, Richardson vetoed legislation that would ban the use of eminent domain to transfer property to private developers, as allowed by the Supreme Court's 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of New London.[24] He promised to work with the legislature to draft new legislation addressing the issue in the 2007 legislative session.
On September 7, 2006, Richardson flew to Sudan to meet Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir and successfully negotiated the release of imprisoned journalist Paul Salopek. Salopek had been charged by the Sudanese with espionage on August 26, 2006, while on a National Geographic assignment.
Richardson won his second term as Governor of New Mexico on November 7, 2006, 68–32 percent against former New Mexico Republican Party Chairman John Dendahl. Richardson received the highest percentage of votes in any gubernatorial election in the state's history.[25]
In December 2006, Richardson announced that he would support a ban on cockfighting in New Mexico.[26] On March 12, 2007, Richardson signed into law a bill that would ban cockfighting in New Mexico. Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam are now the only part of the United States where cockfighting is legal.[27]
In January 2007, at the request of the Save Darfur Coalition, he brokered a 60-day cease fire between al-Bashir and leaders of several rebel factions in Darfur, the western Sudanese region. The cease-fire never became effective, however, with allegations of breaches on all sides.[28]
During New Mexico's most recent legislative session, Richardson signed a bill into law that made New Mexico the 12th state to legalize marijuana for medical reasons. When asked if this would hurt him in a Presidential election, he stated that it did not matter, as it was "the right thing to do."[29]
Richardson's current term in office ends in 2011 and he is term-limited from a third term as governor.[30]
2008 presidential campaign
Richardson was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 2008 presidential election but dropped out on January 10, 2008 after lackluster showings in the first primary and caucus contests. Despite his long history with the Clinton family, Richardson endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination on March 21, 2008.[31] Commentator and Clinton ally James Carville famously compared Richardson to Judas Iscariot for the move.[32] Richardson responded in a Washington Post article, feeling "compelled to defend [himself] against character assassination and baseless allegations."[33]
Richardson was a rumored Vice Presidential candidate for Senator and Democratic presumptive nominee Barack Obama and was fully vetted by the Obama campaign,[34] before Obama chose Joe Biden on August 23, 2008.[35]
Possible return to the Cabinet in the Obama Administration
In the wake of Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election, Richardson has been mentioned as a possible Cabinet appointment in the upcoming Obama Administration, particularly as Secretary of State.[36]
The day after Obama's election, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "There's no one more qualified to be part of the president's cabinet than Bill Richardson and I would hope that he's under consideration." Richardson has yet to publicly comment on the speculation.[37] On November seventh, Obama met with Richardson to discuss a Cabinet position. He is in line with Senator and former 2008 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, says the Washington Post.[38]
If Richardson were to accept a position as Secretary of State in the Obama Administration, he would be the first Mexican-American and Hispanic individual to hold the position. Also, if he accepts before his current term expires, he would be succeeded as New Mexico Governor by Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish.
A senior Democratic party official has indicated that Richardson will likely be Obama's choice for Commerce Secretary.[39]
Writings
Richardson has authored two books:
- Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life autobiography, published March 2007
- Leading by Example: How We Can Inspire an Energy and Security Revolution released October 2007
See also
References
- ^ "Richardson, William Blaine: Biographical Information". Library of Congress.
- ^ Babington, Charles, "Obama, McCain eye potential administration teams," Associated Press, AP Google website. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
- ^ "Richardson to Commerce?". Washingtonpost (21 November 2008). Retrieved on November 21, 2008.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Ancestry of Bill Richardson". WARGS (William Addams Reitweisner Geneaological Services).
- ^ a b c d e f g h Plotz, David (June 23, 2000). "Energy Secretary Bill Richardson", Slate.com. Retrieved on 7 November 2008.
- ^ a b Joel Achenbach (2007-05-27). "The Pro-Familia Candidate", Washington Post. Retrieved on 1 January 2008.
- ^ "Richardson backs off baseball claim", Associated Press (2005-11-25). Retrieved on 1 January 2008.
- ^ Four decades later, Richardson acknowledges he wasn't drafted by pro baseball team - Associated Press - November 24, 2005 (via freenewmexican.com).
- ^ Yearbook of the United Nations 1997
- ^ "1997 – Nairobi Declaration redefines and strengthens UNEP's role and mandate". United Nations Environment Programme.
- ^ Irvine, Reed and Cliff Kincaid. "Bill Richardson Caught In Clinton Undertow". Media Monitor. August 21, 1998.
- ^ Plotz, David (June 23, 2000). "Sidebar", Slate.com. Retrieved on 7 November 2008.
- ^ Mears, Bill (May 22, 2006). "Deal in Wen Ho Lee case may be imminent", CNN. Retrieved on 7 November 2008.
- ^ Christopher McCaleb, Ian, "Richardson says FBI has determined drives did not leave Los Alamos", CNN, June 21, 2000
- ^ CNN staffs and wire reports, "U.S. land transfer to Utah tribe would be largest in 100 years", "CNN", January 14, 2000
- ^ Pickler, Nedra, "Richardson declares presidential campaign", The Denver Post, May 22, 2007
- ^ Fundación Consejo España-EEUU Bio
- ^ Worden, Nat, "Big Oil Ties Could Muck Up Richardson's Bid", TheStreet.com, June 11, 2007
- ^ Associated Press, "Bill Richardson Sells Stock in Valero Energy Corp. Amid Questions", Fox News, June 1, 2007
- ^ Mears, Bill (September 16, 2002). "A Whole Lotta Shaking", Tufts University. Retrieved on 7 November 2008.
- ^ Press Releases
- ^ Concord Monitor, "Richardson stands out as pro-gun Democrat", 2008
- ^ "Governor vetoes eminent domain legislation" Santa Fe New Mexican, March 8, 2006
- ^ "Council Members: Governor Bill Richardson" New Mexico State Investment Council. See also New Mexico gubernatorial election, 2006.
- ^ "Governor will support a ban on cockfighting" Santa Fe New Mexican, December 27, 2006
- ^ "Cockfighting outlawed" KRQE News 13, March 12, 2007
- ^ U.S. Governor Brokers Truce For Darfur The New York Times, January 11, 2007.
- ^ "Richardson says supporting medical marijuana 'is right thing to do'"
- ^ Constitutional and statutory provisions for number of consecutive terms of elected state officials, National Governors Association, http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/BOS4-9.pdf, retrieved on 27 April 2008
- ^ "Richardson: 'I am very loyal to the Clintons' "
- ^ First a Tense Talk With Clinton, Then Richardson Backs Obama - New York Times
- ^ Bill Richardson (April 1, 2008), Loyalty to My Country, The WashingtonPost, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040100885.html?hpid=opinionsbox1&hpid=topnews, retrieved on 27 April 2008
- ^ NYTimes story about vetting process. Accessed August 24, 2008.
- ^ CNN story about 20 possible veep nominees. Accessed August 21, 2008.
- ^ Bill Richardson: Obama's Secretary Of State?
- ^ Richardson mum on job interview
- ^ Pickler, Nedra (2008-11-15)"Obama weighs Clinton, Richardson as sec. of state", Yahoo! News. Retrieved on 2008-11-18
- ^ Huffington Post (2008-11-21)[2],Huffington Post. Retrieved on 2008-11-21
Further sources
- Brooke, James (December 14, 1996). "Traveling Troubleshooter Is Ready to Settle Down, at the U.N.: THE SECOND TERM: The New Lineup William Blaine Richardson". The New York Times, pp. 11.
- Rankin, Adam (July 10, 2005). "Richardson Named As Likely Source of Wen Ho Lee Leak". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
External links
- Official sites
- Bill Richardson for President official presidential campaign website
- Governor Bill Richardson's official website
- Final Report of the Attorney General's Review Team on the Handling of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Investigation aka The Bellows Report, May 2000
- Databases and topic pages
- About.com – Bill Richardson
- FEC – Bill Richardson campaign finance disclosure
- FollowTheMoney – Bill Richardson campaign contributions (Governor)
- OnTheIssues – Bill Richardson issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org – Bill Richardson campaign contributions (President)
- Project Vote Smart – Governor Bill Richardson (NM) includes bio, campaign finances, voting record, issue positions
- USAElectionPolls – Bill Richardson Poll Results summarized presidential election polls
- Bill Richardson at the Open Directory Project
- Genealogy of Bill Richardson
- Governor Richardson Answers Candidate Questions! Governor Richardson answers questions regarding disability issues
- Bill Richardson shares his ideas on clean energy, global warming and energy independence Set America Free Coalition presents "Primary Energy: '08" with 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Governor Bill Richardson
- Biography and issue positions at Votimus.com
- Media coverage
- Video of Richardson endorsing Obama for president, The Huffinton Post, March 21, 2008
- "Richardson Enters the 2008 Race" ABC News This Week with George Stephanopoulos television interview, January 21, 2007
- "NM Governor Richardson Calls Special Legislative Session to Investigate Price Gouging and Energy Cost" Democracy Now!
- "Richardson's Run" Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics
- "Bill Richardson News" The New York Times news and commentary archive
- Richardson's comment that the Democratic race will be over in January 2008 after the first 4 state contests
- "Annals of Diplomacy Backfire" The New Yorker, Carl Nagin
- Vote 2008: Bill Richardson, The Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
- "The Richardson File" The Santa Fe New Mexican comprehensive news and archive index
- "See Bill Run" Santa Fe Reporter news archive
- "Richardson walks fine line on Immigration" CNN.
- Video of Richardson weighing Clinton Obama endorsement at UCLA, UCLA Newsroom, March 11, 2008
- 2006 New Mexico gubernatorial campaign
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