KEEPING BUSY:
Richardson has added several events to his campaign schedule over the next few days, including a gay pride celebration and an appearance at a civil rights group conference that has attracted several White House contenders.
    Richardson late Saturday afternoon is to attend PrideFest 2007 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before an evening Democratic dinner in the same city, according to a new campaign schedule.
    Following Sunday’s Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire, Richardson is now slated to head to the Chicago area for a Monday morning address at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition’s annual conference. The coalition was founded by the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
    Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are slated to appear at the Rainbow/PUSH event, along with the New Mexico gov.
    Richardson later Monday is slated to travel to Phoenix for more campaigning and fundraising.

    EXPLAINING THE SALE:
Richardson in a Thursday story by The Associated Press explained his sale of substantial stock holdings in a Texas-based refining company, calling the stock issue a “distraction” to his presidential bid.
    Richardson — who is plugging a plan to cut America’s dependence on foreign oil — had stocks and stock options worth several hundred thousand dollars from Valero Energy Corp.
    That revelation, outlined in Federal Election Commission reports last month, made a news splash, and Richardson during a Sunday appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” announced that he’d sold off the stock holdings.
    “Because I was getting questions, I just felt it was best to divest myself,” Richardson said in Thursday’s story by the AP’s Barry Massey.
    He called Valero a “very reputable company that does important work.”

    RUDY IN BURQUE:
Another presidential candidate is headed to New Mexico: Republican Rudy Giuliani is to appear at a June 9 fundraising reception at a private home in Albuquerque, according to his campaign and a copy of an invite to the event.
    The invitation says the event is to include a roundtable discussion, lunch and a “VIP photo opportunity” for donors. Those who want to take part in the roundtable are asked to shell out a $4,600 contribution, while VIP photos cost $2,300 and lunch is a relative bargain at $500.
    Hosts listed on the invite include Eclipse Aviation President Vern Raburn and Albuquerque car dealer Ken Zangara.
    No word yet on whether the event will be open to media coverage.
Journal politics reporter Jeff Jones

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