For Immediate Release: September 2, 2023
Contact: press@presidentclinton.com
Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of Governor Bill Richardson
Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Governor Bill Richardson, a devoted public servant and skilled diplomat whose career improved countless lives in New Mexico, across America, and around the world.
From his years in Congress, to his service in my Administration as Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of Energy, to his two terms as Governor, to his efforts with the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, Bill worked tirelessly for the causes of freedom, fairness, and opportunity.
His innate diplomatic skills made him a success at the U.N., and his roots in the West, and his experience, helped him succeed as Secretary of Energy.
Whether in an official or unofficial capacity, he was a masterful and persistent negotiator who helped make our world more secure and won the release of many individuals held unjustly abroad. He was also a trailblazer whose career helped pave the path for other Latino Americans to serve at the highest levels of American government.
I will always be grateful for the opportunity to know and work closely with him. His legacy will endure with all the people who are better off today because of his outstanding service. My thoughts and prayers are with Barbara, his family, and everyone who loved him.