Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico is no longer under consideration for the job of Secretary of Commerce in the Obama Administration. A grand jury is looking into charges of pay-to-play in the awarding of a state contract to a company that contributed to Richardson. The Governor says that he has acted properly, but that the investigation could drag out the confirmation process at a moment when quick action is needed to address the country’s dire economic situation. Santa Fe Public Radio's News Director Bill Dupuy joins The Takeaway with the story.

Find out more about President-elect Obama's Inner Circle, including the Cabinet appointees.