Richardson adviser worked for firm under scrutiny

One of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's close friends and advisers worked as a consultant for the California firm at the center of a federal pay-to-play probe that derailed the governor's appointment as commerce secretary.

Mike Stratton's consulting firm worked for CDR Financial Products to advise on business in New Mexico at the time the company was hired to work on bond deals with the New Mexico Finance Authority.

Federal investigators are now scrutinizing whether CDR's work, for which it earned nearly $1.5 million in fees, was influenced by political contributions that CDR and its chief executive David Rubin made to Richardson's political committees.

Stratton, a longtime Democratic political consultant, has been friends with Richardson for more than 25 years. He advised Richardson - and raised money for him - during the governor's failed bid for the 2008 presidential nomination.

Stratton did not immediately return telephone messages.

Richardson said yesterday there was no wrongdoing in how the state awarded the work to CDR.

"In my view, the state and its officials have done nothing wrong. They behaved with the best of intentions and the best conduct," Richardson said at a news conference in Albuquerque.

Stratton worked for CDR as a business development consultant until at least 2007, CDR spokesman Allan Ripp said. He was not sure exactly when Stratton started working for the company, but said it was in the early 2000s. Richardson took office in January 2003.

Stratton's consulting had "not anything to do with political contributions," Ripp said.

CDR and Rubin contributed $110,000 to Richardson political committees in 2003-2005.

The largest contribution was made in 2004 and helped pay expenses at the Democratic National Convention.