Smaller Bites – Connecting the Dots: Politico, Sen. Mitt Romney, Bain Capital & Soros Funding, All Networking

Trump Slams GOP Sen. Romney Amid Retirement Plans

By Jim Thomas    |   Wednesday, 13 September 2023 05:45 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/donald-trump-mitt-romney-retirement/2023/09/13/id/1134363/

Former President Donald Trump celebrated the retirement announcement of Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, with exuberance, hailing it as "FANTASTIC NEWS FOR AMERICA" in a post on his Truth Social account Wednesday.

Romney, who is 76, announced Wednesday his decision not to seek reelection, prompting Trump to take to the social media platform to express his jubilation. Trump unmistakably conveyed his assessment of Senator Romney's Senate tenure in his social media post, asserting that Romney "did not serve with distinction."

In a characteristic all-caps message, Trump not only praised the development as beneficial for the nation, the state of Utah, and the Republican Party but also playfully alluded to Romney's previous online pseudonym, "Pierre Delecto," which the senator had employed on platforms such as X and Twitter to interact with content critical of Trump, Politico reported

Should Romney have chosen to seek reelection, it was widely anticipated that he would confront a primary challenge. In June, a Deseret News poll revealed that among Republicans, 47% identified more closely with the faction aligned with Trump, while 39% leaned towards supporting Romney.

The data underscores the ongoing ideological divide within the Republican Party, with Trump's influence continuing to hold sway among a significant portion of its base in Utah.

"A big primary fight against him was in the offing, but now that will not be necessary. Congrats to all. Make America great again!" Trump wrote, according to The Hill.

Romney cast votes to convict Trump during both Senate impeachment trials. This highlighted the enduring and contentious relationship between the two political figures.

Romney's reputation for adopting a more moderate legislative stance and his willingness to engage in bipartisan cooperation often served as a counterbalance to the prevailing tenets of Trump politics within the Republican Party.

Romney's decision not to seek reelection signifies a conclusion to his extensive political career. Before assuming his Senate seat in 2019, Romney secured the Republican Party's nomination for the presidential race in 2012 and previously held the position of Governor in Massachusetts.

Connecting the Dots:

John F. Harris is the editor in chief for Politico, and a trustee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank).

German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.  

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is a director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP. 

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Bain Capital.

Mitt Romney is a co-founder for Bain Capital, a U.S. Senator from Utah and was a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council.

Jane Lakes Harman is a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.  

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

David H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a fundraiser for the 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign.

Mitt Romney was the candidate for the 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign and is a co-founder for Bain Capital.

Paul E. Peterson was a member, Education Policy Advisory Group for the 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign and a director of governmental studies for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.  

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP. 

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for Bain Capital.

Resources: Past Research

Trump Blasts Politico: ‘Some of the Most Dishonest People I Have Ever Dealt With’ (Past Research on Politico)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/11/trump-blasts-politico-some-of-most.html

Politico: Ryan-Pelosi Give Obama Refugees In Omnibus (Past Research on Politico)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2015

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/12/politico-ryan-pelosi-give-obama.html

The Perfect Weapon, Medicine - DR LEE MERRIT INTERVIEW (Past Research on Jessica Tuchman Mathews)

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-perfect-weapon-medicine-dr-lee.html

Report: Mitt Romney to Endorse Marco Rubio (Past Research on Mitt Romney)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/02/report-mitt-romney-to-endorse-marco.html

Mitt Romney concedes defeat to Barack Obama (Short & Sweet and to the Point) (Past Research on Mitt Romney)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2012/11/mitt-romney-concedes-defeat-to-barack.html

Smaller Bites – Jared Bernstein, The Council of Economic Advisers, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Howard University, The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) & Soros Funding, All Networking.

Jared Bernstein

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Bernstein

Jared Bernstein (born 1955) is an American economist who is the chair of the United States Council of Economic Advisers. He is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.^[1] From 2009 to 2011, Bernstein was the chief economist and economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden in the Obama Administration.^[2] In 2008, Michael D. Shear described Bernstein as a progressive and "a strong advocate for workers".^[3]

In February 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Bernstein to serve as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.^[4] He was confirmed to be chair on June 13, 2023.^[5] He was ceremonially sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on July 10, 2023.^[6]

Career

Bernstein has taught at Howard University, Columbia University, and New York University. His areas of interest include "federal, state and international economic policies, specifically the middle class squeeze, income inequality and mobility, trends in employment and earnings, low-wage labor markets, poverty, and international comparisons."^{[This quote needs a citation][10]} He is known as a critic of free trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).^[3]

In 1992, Bernstein started working as a senior official at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a liberal think tank with a focus on issues affecting low- and middle-income working people.^[3] From 1995 to 1996, he served in the United States Department of Labor as deputy chief economist. He then returned to the EPI, as senior economist and director of the Living Standards Program, until he was selected by Biden. His designated job on the vice presidential staff is a new position, created because of "the critical nature of the economic challenges facing America."^[11] Upon his appointment, some journalists claimed that it "contrasts sharply with the more centrist views of many of president-elect Barack Obama's economic advisers."^[3]

Bernstein sits on the Congressional Budget Office's advisory committee. He is a contributor at the financial news network CNBC. He also was appointed executive director of the Middle Class Working Families Task Force and is responsible for direct management of the project.

Paul Krugman, a Nobel laureate in economics and a noted progressive columnist, argued in November 2008 that the centrist makeup of President Barack Obama's economic inner circle, the new Economic Recovery Advisory Board, could be used to "give progressive economists a voice," and he mentioned Bernstein and fellow EPI economist president Lawrence Mishel among others as progressive economists who might be suitable for the board.

Connecting the Dots:

Jared Bernstein has taught at Howard University, an American economist who is the chair of the United States Council of Economic Advisers, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and a senior official at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a trustee at Howard University and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Jason L. Furman was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) the assistant to the president for economic policy for the Barack Obama administration and is the chairman for the Council of Economic Advisers.

Martin N. Baily was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the chairman for the Council of Economic Advisers.

Rebecca M. Blank was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Barack Obama administration and a member of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Lael Brainard was the VP & director for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the undersecretary for international affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the Barack Obama administration and the deputy national economic adviser for the Council of Economic Advisers.

Mark B. McClellan was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a member of the Council of Economic Advisers.

David H. Romer is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was a junior staff economist for the Council of Economic Advisers.

Laura D'Andrea Tyson was the chair for the Council of Economic Advisers, and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

Resources: Past Research

Who Really Controls Our Universities? (Connecting the Dots: Soros Funded Think Tanks) (Past Research on Howard University)

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/08/who-really-controls-our-universities.html

Obama to use Lehman Brothers collapse anniversary to cite progress (Past Research on the Council of Economic Advisers)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/11/obama-to-use-lehman-brothers-collapse.html

FROM THE STEADY DRIP'S FAVORITE RESEARCHER - GOP legally barred from fighting vote fraud (Past Research on the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2012/11/from-steady-drips-favorite-researcher.html

94,391,000 Americans Out of the Labor Force in August (Past Research on the Economic Policy Institute (EPI))

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/09/94391000-americans-out-of-labor-force.html

Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: 'Disgraceful' Biden Not at NYC 9/11 Observance (Connecting the Dots: Joe Biden, Smithsonian Institution, The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, American Airlines, United Airlines, FAA, G-20 & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: 'Disgraceful' Biden Not at NYC 9/11 Observance (Connecting the Dots: Joe Biden, Smithsonian Institution, The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, American Airlines, United Airlines, FAA, G-20 & Soros Funding, All Networking)

By Fran Beyer    |   Monday, 11 September 2023 10:10 AM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/claudia-tenney-911-migrants/2023/09/11/id/1133992/

GOP New York Rep. Claudia Tenney on Monday blasted President Joe Biden for skipping attendance at 9/11 memorial observances in New York City, Shanksville, Pa., or Arlington, Va., on the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack in U.S. history.

In an interview on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Tenney tore into Biden's planned 9/11 speech at a military base in Anchorage, Alaska, as he returns from a G-20 summit in India.

"I just think it's disgraceful that he is not honoring what happened there, especially in light of what's going on with the migrant situation in New York City," Tenney said. "We're not remembering what happened and why we need to secure our nation," she added. "We want orderly migration, but we have to make sure people coming here live up to the promise that is America."

Tenney charged the Biden administration is "denying the reality of what happened to this country" and "the amazing comeback that Americans had after that day … how we became united … came back from this horrible situation."

"Maybe people don't agree with Afghanistan, Iraq. I certainly had my questions about what happened there" in the wars waged after the terror attacks, she said. "But the American people came back. There is a sense of unity when a horrible tragedy occurs, and he's denying all of us that ability to come together, which is something we need to do."

Tenney said the annual observance is difficult and "makes me really teary-eyed to think about what happened that day and how grave the situation is today and that we're not remembering that, we're not protecting ourselves and the future of our country.

"Our children, our grandchildren are really on the line," she continued. "And I just wish more people would recognize that we love migration and good people coming to our country that believed in the beacon of hope that we promised. But we also have to remember … that there are bad people out there. It's just the way it is. And they want to destroy us."

Vice President Kamala Harris was at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in lower Manhattan Monday to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror strikes.

First lady Jill Biden was set to visit the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Va., to lay a wreath. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff was at Shanksville and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough was to take part in a 9/11 National Day of Service event at a VA cemetery in Baltimore.

In his first year as president, Biden visited all three memorial locations. In 2022, he marked the occasion at the Pentagon.

He's not the first president who didn't attend observances at any of the three sites. In 2015, President Barack Obama participated in a moment of silence on the White House lawn, and in 2005, President George W. Bush marked the anniversary on the White House lawn.

Connecting the Dots:

Joseph R. Biden Jr. is the president for the Joe Biden administration, a regent at the Smithsonian Institution and spent Thanksgiving with David Rubenstein.

David M. Rubenstein spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden, is a regent at the Smithsonian Institution and the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Judith Rodin is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

John C. Whitehead is a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Marie L. Knowles was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a director at the US Airways Group Inc.

Stephen M. Wolf is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was the CEO for the US Airways Group Inc.

AMR Corporation proposing merger with the US Airways Group Inc. and is the parent company for American Airlines.

Judith Rodin is a director at the AMR Corporation and was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

David M. Rubenstein is the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), a regent at the Smithsonian Institution, spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden and was a benefactor at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation and the chairman for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

Walter Isaacson is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank), a director at the United Continental Holdings, Inc., was a director at United Airlines and the chairman & CEO for CNN.

Aleksandra Johnson was a producer for CNN, a director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Transportation and is an assistant to the secretary for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

United Airlines is a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings, Inc.

Oscar Munoz is the president & CEO for the United Continental Holdings, Inc., a director at World Business Chicago and a trustee at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Glenn F. Tilton was the chairman for the United Continental Holdings, Inc., is a director at World Business Chicago and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

David J. Vitale is a director at the United Continental Holdings, Inc., a trustee at the Museum of Science and Industry and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown is a life trustee at the Museum of Science and Industry, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Human Rights First and the Committee for Economic Development.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Kenneth R. Feinberg is a director at Human Rights First and the special master September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.

Samuel A. DiPiazza Jr. was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and is a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

Peter G. Peterson is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee for Economic Development.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Donna S. Morea was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and the EVP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Mark A. Angelson was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and is a director at Human Rights First.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights First.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Kenneth R. Feinberg is a director at Human Rights First and the special master September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.

Harold H. Koh was a director at Human Rights First, the State Department legal adviser for the Barack Obama administration and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights First and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Judith Rodin is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

John C. Whitehead is a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Marie L. Knowles was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a director at the US Airways Group Inc.

Stephen M. Wolf is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was the CEO for the US Airways Group Inc.

AMR Corporation proposing merger with the US Airways Group Inc. and is the parent company for American Airlines.

David M. Rubenstein is the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), a regent at the Smithsonian Institution and spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden.

Joseph R. Biden Jr. spent Thanksgiving with David Rubenstein and is the president for the Joe Biden administration and a regent at the Smithsonian Institution.

Judith Rodin is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center.

John C. Whitehead is a director at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Marie L. Knowles was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a director at the US Airways Group Inc.

Stephen M. Wolf is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was the CEO for the US Airways Group Inc.

AMR Corporation proposing merger with the US Airways Group Inc. and is the parent company for American Airlines.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Lawrence H. Summers is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a co-founder for the Group of 20 (G20), a director at the ONE Campaign and was the National Economic Council chairman for the Barack Obama administration. 

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and the first lady for the Barack Obama administration.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros is the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and was a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Timothy F. Geithner is an overseer, director for the International Rescue Committee and a co-founder for the Group of 20 (G20).

Denis McDonough was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and is the secretary of veteran’s affairs in the Joe Biden administration.

Resources: Past Research

Here's how often airlines involuntarily bump passengers (Past Research on United Airlines)

MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2017

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/04/heres-how-often-airlines-involuntarily.html

Collins touts surviving DC-to-Maine American Air flights (Past Research on American Airlines)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/01/collins-touts-surviving-dc-to-maine.html

Huge 9/11 Fraud Case Accuses Retired New York Cops, Firefighters (Past Research on 9/11)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/01/huge-911-fraud-case-accuses-retired-new.html

National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation (Past Research on the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/10/national-september-11-memorial-museum.html

Smithsonian Admits to Destruction of Thousands of Giant Human Skeletons in Early 1900′s (Past Research on the Smithsonian Institution)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/12/smithsonian-admits-to-destruction-of.html

DELINGPOLE: Germans Unhappy As ‘Climate Change’ Is Dropped From G-20 Communique (Past Research on G-20)

SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/03/delingpole-germans-unhappy-as-climate.html

Smaller Bites – Denis McDonough (Connecting the Dots: Denis McDonough, The Center for American Progress & Soros, Networking)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/10/smaller-bites-denis-mcdonough.html

Smaller Bites: Connecting the Dots: Bill Richardson, Refugees International, Jobs for America's Graduates, Bill Clinton & Soros Funding, All Networking

Bill Richardson, Former Governor and UN Ambassador Who Worked to Free Detained Americans, Dies

The Epoch Times

By The Associated Press 9/2/2023 Updated: 9/2/2023

Former U.S. diplomat Bill Richardson speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, on Nov. 16, 2021. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/us/bill-richardson-former-governor-and-un-ambassador-who-worked-to-free-detained-americans-dies-5485469?utm_medium=app&c=share_pos2&pid=iOS_app_share&utm_source=iOS_app_share

WASHINGTON—Bill Richardson, a two-term Democratic governor of New Mexico and an American ambassador to the United Nations who dedicated his post-political career to working to secure the release of Americans detained by foreign adversaries, has died. He was 75.

The Richardson Center for Global Engagement, which he founded and led, said in a statement Saturday that he died in his sleep at his home in Chatham, Massachusetts.

“He lived his entire life in the service of others—including both his time in government and his subsequent career helping to free people held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad,” said Mickey Bergman, the center's vice president. "There was no person that Gov. Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom. The world has lost a champion for those held unjustly abroad and I have lost a mentor and a dear friend.”

President Joe Biden said Mr. Richardson seized every chance he had to serve in government and lauded his efforts to free Americans being held elsewhere. “He’d meet with anyone, fly anywhere, do whatever it took. The multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations he received are a testament to his ceaseless pursuit of freedom for Americans,” the president said in a statement. “So is the profound gratitude that countless families feel today for the former governor who helped reunite them with their loved ones.”

Before his election in 2002 as governor, Mr. Richardson was U.S. envoy to the United Nations and energy secretary under President Bill Clinton and served 14 years as a congressman representing northern New Mexico.

But he also forged an identity as an unofficial diplomatic troubleshooter. He traveled the globe negotiating the release of hostages and American servicemen from North Korea, Iraq, Cuba, and Sudan and bargained with a who’s who of America’s adversaries, including Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. It was a role Mr. Richardson relished, once describing himself as “the informal undersecretary for thugs.”

“I believe that we have to engage our adversaries no matter how different our philosophies are,” Mr. Richardson once said. “The way you deal with issues that divide nations is through humanitarian efforts before political differences. I think that is fundamental.”

He helped secure the 2021 release of American journalist Danny Fenster from a Myanmar prison and this year negotiated the freedom of Taylor Dudley, who crossed the border from Poland into Russia. He met with Russian government officials in the months before the release last year of Marine veteran Trevor Reed in a prisoner swap and also worked on the cases of Brittney Griner, the WNBA player freed by Moscow last year, and Michael White, a Navy veteran released by Iran in 2020.

Roger Carstens, the U.S. government’s chief hostage negotiator, described Mr. Richardson as “a friend and partner in bringing wrongfully detained Americans and hostages home,” and said in a statement Saturday that he would "miss his wise counsel and friendship.”

Armed with a golden resume and wealth of experience in foreign and domestic affairs, Mr. Richardson sought the 2008 Democratic nomination for president in hopes of becoming the nation’s first Hispanic president. He dropped out of the race after lackluster finishes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

Mr. Richardson was the nation’s only Hispanic governor during his two terms, calling it “the best job I ever had.”

“It’s the most fun. You can get the most done. You set the agenda,” Mr. Richardson said.

As governor, Mr. Richardson signed legislation in 2009 that repealed the death penalty.

Some of his most prominent global work began in December 1994, when he was visiting North Korean nuclear sites and word came that an American helicopter pilot had been downed and his co-pilot killed.

The Clinton White House enlisted Mr. Richardson’s help and, after days of tough negotiations, the then-congressman accompanied the remains of Chief Warrant Officer David Hilemon while paving the way for Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Hall to return home.

The following year, and after a personal appeal from Mr. Richardson, Saddam Hussein freed two Americans who had been imprisoned for four months, charged with illegally crossing into Iraq from Kuwait.

Mr. Richardson continued his freelance diplomacy even while serving as governor. He had barely started his first term as governor when he met with two North Korean envoys in Santa Fe. He traveled to North Korea in 2007 to recover remains of American servicemen killed in the Korean War.

In 2006, he persuaded Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to free Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist Paul Salopek.

In an interview with The Associated Press in August, Richardson said he was proud of the work he had done to free dozens of people over the years and of his advocacy for the Navajo Nation.

Mr. Richardson and former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah created a fund to offer supplies and equipment to the Navajo Nation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, providing personal protective equipment, food, water, and hundreds of pairs of shoes to Navajo students in the state.

Mr. Richardson transformed the political landscape in New Mexico. He raised and spent record amounts on his campaigns, bringing Washington-style politics to an easygoing western state with a part-time Legislature.

Lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, complained Mr. Richardson threatened retribution against opponents. Former Democratic state Sen. Tim Jennings of Roswell once said Mr. Richardson was “beating people over the head” in his dealings with lobbyists on a health care issue. Mr. Richardson dismissed criticisms of his administrative style.

“Admittedly, I am aggressive. I use the bully pulpit of the governorship,” Mr. Richardson said. “But I don’t threaten retribution. They say I am a vindictive person. I just don’t believe that.”

After dropping out of the 2008 presidential race, Mr. Richardson endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton despite Mr. Richardson's longstanding friendship with the Clintons.

President Obama later nominated Richardson as secretary of commerce. Mr. Richardson withdrew in early 2009 because of a federal investigation into an alleged pay-to-play scheme involving his administration in New Mexico. The investigation ended without charges against Mr. Richardson and his former top aides.

Mr. Richardson had a troubled tenure as energy secretary because of a scandal over missing computer equipment with nuclear weapons secrets at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the government’s investigation and prosecution of former nuclear weapons scientist Wen Ho Lee.

Mr. Richardson approved Mr. Lee’s firing at Los Alamos in 1999. Mr. Lee spent nine months in solitary confinement, charged with 59 counts of mishandling sensitive information. He later pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling computer files and was released with the apology of a federal judge.

William Blaine Richardson was born in Pasadena, California, but grew up in Mexico City with a Mexican mother and an American father who was a U.S. bank executive.

He attended prep school in Massachusetts and was a star baseball player. He went to Tufts University and its graduate school in international relations, earning a master’s degree in international affairs.

Mr. Richardson moved to New Mexico in 1978 after working as a Capitol Hill staffer. He wanted to run for political office and said New Mexico, with its Hispanic roots, seemed like a good place. He campaigned for Congress just two years later—his only losing race.

In 1982, he won a new congressional seat from northern New Mexico that the state picked up in reapportionment. He resigned from Congress in 1997 to join the Clinton administration as U.N. ambassador and became secretary of energy in 1998, holding the post until the end of the Clinton presidency.

Connecting the Dots:

Bill Richardson  was a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations, Democratic governor of New Mexico and a is a director at Refugees International.

George Soros is a director emeritus at Refugees International and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Refugees International and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

James W. Cicconi was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at the Jobs for America's Graduates.

Bill Richardson was a director at the Jobs for America's Graduates, was a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations and is a director at Refugees International.

Bill Richardson is a director at Refugees International and was a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Refugees International

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society is a director emeritus at Refugees International and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

William J. Clinton is the founder of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, an adviser for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and was the president for the Bill Clinton Administration.

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

George Soros was a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) and is a director emeritus at Refugees International.

Bill Richardson is a director at Refugees International, was a U.S. ambassador for the United Nations and a Democratic governor of New Mexico.

Resources: Past Research

Fmr Gov. Richardson 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Griner's Release (Connecting The Dots: Bill Richardson, The United Nations, Nuclear Threat, CNN & Soros Funded Think Tanks All Networking) (Past Research on Bill Richardson)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/10/fmr-gov-richardson-cautiously.html

Washington Post: Inside Bill Clinton’s Nearly $18 Million For-Profit College Gig (Past Research on Bill Clinton)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/09/washington-post-inside-bill-clintons.html