There has been increased scrutiny of former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who is currently the subject of a federal investigation into various campaign finance irregularities, which have led to federal investigators searching for corruption within the investment decisions made by the state. His New York City criminal defense attorney said that the government was not always involved in the day to day decisions made regarding financial investments and that the governor was not aware of the specific payments targeted by the federal government as a potential source of illegal involvement by the governor or his staff.