Richardson cited in hit-and-run in Santa Fe (NM - Former governor)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | January 6, 2016 | Edmundo Carrillo and T.S. Last

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE - Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was cited for following too closely and failing to report an accident after a hit-and-run fender bender in downtown Santa Fe on Wednesday morning.

According to the police report, the accident occurred about 8:15 a.m. during wet, snowy conditions. Richardson rear-ended a vehicle driven by a Santa Fe woman while both were traveling east on Marcy Street at the intersection with Paseo de Peralta.

The woman told the police a yellow Jeep hit her car from behind while she was stopped at a stop sign. The Jeep then hit her a second time, hard enough to push her into the intersection, before she pulled over and then saw the Jeep drive away, the police report says. A witness told the Journal her rear bumper was dented and "hanging down a couple of inches."

Caitlin Kelleher, a spokeswoman for Richardson, released a statement a few hours after the incident saying the former governor made "an honest mistake" when he failed to stop.

Richardson told police he wasn't sure he had struck anyone. "Did I hit somebody?" he asked, according to the police report. "It popped a little bit, but I think it was like a little hit. … It was a stop light and I think I barely popped it."

About an hour after the accident, Richardson was at the Roundhouse for a live interview about North Korea on MSNBC that aired around 9:30 a.m. Richardson, who also served in the U.S. House and was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and secretary of the federal Department of Energy under President Bill Clinton, was New Mexico governor from 2003 through 2010.

[CedarDave]

Richardson isn't running for anything and as a Democrat his behavior isn't subject to scrutiny by the national media. But the question to be asked is how did you NOT know you hit somebody? Of course since he was about to be interviewed by MSNBC, he probably blew it off so he wouldn't miss being live on TV.

[CedarDave]

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[SaveFerris]

“Obama is an immigrant”

[Col Frank Slade]

What difference does it make ?

[nuconvert]

” saying the former governor made “an honest mistake” when he failed to stop. “

Huh?

[Kirkwood]

Did he have a snootfull?

[Ken H]

-bump-

[Cyman]

I hear that was not the only rear end he hit in New Mexico

[LibWhacker]

All ‘rats are natural-born scofflaws (or worse).

[immadashell]

8:15 am? Well, I suppose it’s five o’clock somewhere.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Imagine if a Republican had done this, 24/7 media coverage, but hey, Richardson is a Clinton loving Dem so its all good

[Kakaze]

The most likely excuse is 90 proof cheerios for breakfast.

[Jewbacca]

The only question I have is how drunk he was.

[Diamond]

I guessed he was a Democrat because there was no party affiliation mentioned.

[CedarDave]

Follow up story:

Police release video of Bill Richardson after car crash

The officer told Richardson he had hit a vehicle at an intersection not far from the capitol.

"I was at a stoplight and I think I just barely popped it," Richardson said.

"It was enough to cause damage to her vehicle and cause damage to your vehicle. You see your bumper there," the officer said, pointing to Richardson's Jeep.

Richardson was fined $81 for following a car too closely and has a Feb. 1 date in municipal court to answer to a misdemeanor charge for leaving the scene.

Police classified the accident as a hit and run, but Richardson chalked it up to an "honest mistake" in a statement issued by his office Wednesday.

[SaveFerris]

It didn’t so far, that is for sure.

[Ann Archy]

LAWS do NOT APPLY for DEMOCRATS!!!If this had been ANY Republican it would be the FIRST ITEM on the news!!!

[SaveFerris]

Drunk enough, I would guess.

[Ann Archy]

Sooooo, Mr. Democrat... “POPPING” someone is NOT HITTING SOMEONE??? Kind of like Clinton saying Blow Jobs were not SEX!!!

[donna]

Bill Richardson Caught In Clinton Undertow
Reed Irvine and Cliff Kincaid
August 21, 1998

Ambassador Bill Richardson apparently lied when he said at his recent confirmation hearings that a UN job he offered to Monica Lewinsky last year was to fill an existing opening. As a result of this apparent deception, and the great lengths to which Richardson went in order to explain the job offer after the Lewinsky scandal broke publicly, Senator Frank Murkowski of Alaska, who chairs the Senate committee which confirmed Richardson as Energy secretary, has sent a letter to President Clinton urging him to hold off swearing Richardson in to his new post. (snip)

http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/bill-richardson-caught-in-clinton-undertow/