Bill Richardson was sworn in as the new energy secretary lastTuesday, one day after Senate Energy Committee Chairman FrankMurkowski (R-AK) cleared him of allegations that he may have misledCongress when testifying during his confirmation hearing last monthabout a job offer he made to former White House intern Monica S.Lewinsky.

Richardson will take over at the Department of Energy (DOE)today, but also will continue as U.S. ambassador to the UnitedNations for a short period due to urgent international matters,according to a department spokeswoman. Richardson has asked DeputyEnergy Secretary Elizabeth Moler, who had been acting secretary inthe interim, to remain at DOE, but she reaffirmed her plans todepart this fall. “Moler told the White House in June that shewould leave. She has committed, however, to stay long enough toensure a smooth transition” at the department, the spokeswomansaid. A successor to Moler, former chair at FERC, has not beenannounced.

Richardson was sworn in one day after Murkowski informedPresident Clinton by letter that a bipartisan investigation “foundno basis to believe that Ambassador Richardson had misled thecommittee in any way.” The Senate leader also wrote a similarletter to Richardson.

At his confirmation hearing for the energy post in late July,Richardson testified he offered Lewinsky a $30,000-a-year positionin November 1997, but that she turned it down. He told thecommittee that the position was not specially created for her.

The full Senate subsequently approved Richardson’s confirmation,but Murkowski urged the White House to delay the swearing-in whilehis panel investigated a Washington Times report that Richardsondid not have an opening on his staff when he offered the25-year-old Lewinsky the job, that he gave Lewinsky “specialtreatment,” and that he took steps to conceal his actions when newsof Clinton’s relationship with Lewinsky first appeared lastJanuary.

In the end, “we found no credible evidence” to support theWashington Times’ allegations that Richardson intentionally misledCongress while under oath, committee investigators told Murkowskiand other committee members in an Aug. 17th memo. “To the contrary,we found clear and convincing evidence corroborating theambassador’s testimony.”

Murkowski told Clinton that he accepted the findings of thebi-partisan staff and supported Richardson as energy secretary.

Susan Parker

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