It’s been widely reported in recent weeks that Gov. Bill Richardson has a very close relationship with Anthony Correra, whose son, Marc Correra, shared in as much as $16 million in finders’ fees for winning investment companies big contracts in New Mexico.
In a weekend article, the Albuquerque Journal provides new insight into the close relationship Anthony Correra had with the State Investment Council (SIC), which Richardson controls. New details on Anthony Correra, from the Journal:
“• Although not an employee, he was temporarily provided work space at the SIC office after Bill Richardson became governor in January 2003.
“• Correra attended meetings between representatives of the office and a Texas company seeking a state investment.
“• He was appointed director of a private company to fill a seat allocated to the State Investment Council after it made an investment in the company.”
Among the companies Marc Correra helped win state investment deals was Vanderbilt Financial. Those investments, which the state lost completely, are the subject of the pay-to-play lawsuit brought by Frank Foy on behalf of the state.
In addition, federal investigators have subpoenaed records related to state investments because of ties between players in New Mexico deals and the pension scandal in New York that is spreading across the nation. Richardson has refused to answer whether he met with Marc Correra to discuss the Vanderbilt investments prior to the decisions by two state boards, including the SIC, to invest a combined $90 million with the company — money the company later lost.
Marc Correra hasn’t been publicly accused of or charged with any crime.