Pay-to-Play Scandal Takes Out Bill Richardson

Life would be easier for honest politicians if there could be no intersection between government contracts and contributions to campaign and candidate-associated political committees. The possibility of Commerce Secretary nominee Bill Richardson's involvement in a New Mexico pay-to-play situation has led him to withdraw himself from the nomination process, according to an AP article today.

Assuming there is no relationship between $110,000 in contributions by a company and its principals, on the one hand, and its million-dollar contract from New Mexico, our country has for no reason lost the services of a highly respected individual.

Why can't honest politicians (and politicians who want to be perceived as honest) get together and outlaw contributions from contractors and contracts from contributors, so that such scandals become a thing of the past? This is at least as much a problem at the local government level as it is at the state and national level, although the dollar numbers may be smaller.

Addition: The contract involved bond consulting services. These contracts seem to be more trouble than most. Any official should steer clear of contributions from these firms, no matter what the law in the particular jurisdiction.