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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Obama commerce nominee pulls out | Obama commerce nominee pulls out |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has withdrawn as US President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for commerce secretary, US media reports say. | |
| Mr Richardson's decision was linked to a pending investigation into a company which has done business with his state, NBC news reported. | |
| The NBC news website quoted Mr Richardson as denying any wrongdoing. | The NBC news website quoted Mr Richardson as denying any wrongdoing. |
| It also quoted Mr Obama as saying he had accepted Mr Richardson's decision to withdraw "with deep regret". | It also quoted Mr Obama as saying he had accepted Mr Richardson's decision to withdraw "with deep regret". |
| Mr Richardson said in a statement issued by Mr Obama's office that he had asked for his name to be taken out of the Senate confirmation process with "great sorrow". | |
| The investigation into the firm concerned could take weeks or even months, he said, and he could not allow Mr Obama to delay the work of the commerce department during that time. | |
| Mr Obama is to be sworn in as the new US president on 20 January. |