Free Republic

SANTA FE— Our fleet is not as big as his, but that didn't stop New Mexico from using its new jet to fly billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson here last week for his space tourism pitch. Branson, known for brash antics such as inscribing aircraft with a "Mine is bigger than yours" slogan, owns several of his own airlines, including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Express and Virgin Blue. But a New Mexico economic development spokeswoman, Katie Roberts, said there will be no taxpayer cost for flying Branson here on the state's $5.5 million Cessna Citation Bravo. Branson came to New Mexico...

New Mexico's plan to build a $225 million spaceport calls for the state Legislature to contribute $100 million in new money over the next three years — the "cornerstone" of an effort that could open up outer space to thousands of paying customers over the next decade, Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday. The balance would come from state funding already approved, as well as federal and local funds, said Rick Homans, New Mexico's economic development secretary. New Mexico's political leaders said the investment would bring a return in the form of thousands of new jobs as well as heightened prestige.

SANTA FE — The state Republican Party is skewering Gov. Bill Richardson in a new radio ad parodying "'Twas the Night Before Christmas.'' The ad lampoons the Democratic governor for his presidential ambitions, his recent admission that he was not drafted by a professional baseball team as he has claimed for decades and issues that have been the subject of previous GOP criticism, including the state's purchase of a $5.4 million jet. The ad started airing Tuesday on an Albuquerque radio station and will run through Thursday, according to Marta Kramer, GOP executive director. The opening line of the ad...

SANTA FE— The New Mexico Rail Runner Express will need about $320 million in state transportation money, Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught said Thursday. At least one lawmaker and legislative analysts say that's about $200 million more in state money for the commuter railroad than they were earlier told. Faught says she never meant to mislead legislators about the cost. Gov. Bill Richardson's commuter-train service would link Belen, Albuquerque and Santa Fe. With federal money added in, the total cost is now estimated at around $390 million, Faught said in an interview. But staff members with the Legislative Finance Committee say...

Gov. Bill Richardson is coming clean on his draft record _ the baseball draft, that is, admitting that his claim to have been a pick of the Kansas City A's in 1966 was untrue. For nearly four decades, Richardson, often mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate, has maintained he was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics. The claim was included in a brief biography released when Richardson successfully ran for Congress in 1982. A White House news release in 1997 mentioned it when he was about to be named U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. And several news organizations,...

N.M. Gov Admits He Wasn't Baseball Pick 13 minutes ago Gov. Bill Richardson is coming clean on his draft record — the baseball draft, that is, admitting that his claim to have been a pick of the Kansas City A's in 1966 was untrue. For nearly four decades, Richardson, often mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate, has maintained he was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics. The claim was included in a brief biography released when Richardson successfully ran for Congress in 1982. A White House news release in 1997 mentioned it when he was about to be named...

SEOUL (AFX) - US politician Bill Richardson, hoping to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, arrived in Pyongyang today for a three-day visit, the North's official media reported. 'Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico State of the United States, and his party arrived here Monday,' the Korean Central News Agency said in a brief dispatch. Richardson said Friday his three-day trip to North Korea was unofficial but White House-backed and is aimed at giving momentum to the six-way nuclear disarmament talks. The US governor will visit Japan and South Korea to brief officials in Tokyo and Seoul of...