Early Cabinet Cleaning?

The problem with building a diverse cabinet essentially devoid of nepotism is that unlike picking a crony (who everyone expects to have some kind of baggage) when a scandal (both big-and-small) pops up, everyone has to speculate what this means for the President (or in this case, President-elect):

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

"Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact," he said Sunday in a report by NBC News' Andrea Mitchell. "But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process."

A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a New Mexico state contract worth more than $1 billion. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.

I can hear Hannity now, talking about another Obama "association."