The Attorney General has more than the Fast and Furious scandal to worry about.  Eric Holder dropped the Justice Department's investigation into the Bill Richardson pay-to-play scandals, but thanks to a civil lawsuit, dots may get connected on the record in court.

The Albuquerque Journal has published a front page article revealing details of an amended lawsuit recently filed by the New Mexico State Investment Council. As it turns out, continuing the investigation might have led into the highest ranks of Democratic Party leadership.  The Journal reports:

The lawsuit alleges that former Democratic National Committee CEO and finance chairman Marvin Rosen approached "senior members of Governor Richardson's staff" while representing several firms seeking State Investment Council investments.

Rosen, a Miami lawyer, Democrat fundraiser and Kennedy pal, previously achieved notoriety during the Clinton Administration for being the rainmaker who conceived and supervised the White House cash-for-coffee events that came in for considerable criticism as nothing more than selling access to Bill Clinton for major cash contributors.

Further down in the Journal article we learn that the suit names another Democrat player:

A California firm paid a $100,000 fee to former Michigan Congressman Milton Robert Carr, who had forwarded information about Elliot Broidy and his company, Markstone, to a member of Richardson's staff.

The lawsuit describes Carr as a 'a close friend and supporter' of Richardson and alleges 'political pressure was brought to bear on (Gary) Bland to invest in Markstone.

Carr, like many former congressmen, is now a prominent Washington lobbyist who, according to his corporate bio, maintains excellent Member-to-Member relations throughout the House and in the Senate.

Because of civil lawsuits being filed in New Mexico, the pay-to-play trail is leading slowly but inexorably to Bill Richardson. Here are the opening paragraphs from New Mexico Watchdog's article about the amended lawsuit:

An amended lawsuit filed Thursday (June 30) alleges that the office of former Gov. Bill Richardson was involved - on multiple fronts - in New Mexico's State Investment Council controversy that reportedly diverted millions of dollars to politically connected figures with ties to Richardson.

A review of the amended lawsuit by Albuquerque Journal investigative reporter Mike Gallagher outlines a web" of Richardson friends, associates and contributors who were involved in the "pay to play" charges that saw the State Investment Council (SIC) -which currently holds more than $15 billion in state assets - reportedly turn into a taxpayer-supported treasure chest that rewarded political pals, some of whom had questionable investment experience.

Holder's justice department may not be alone in seeking to protect powerful Democrats. New Mexico attorney general, Gary King, is coming under increasing fire for failing to investigate his former boss. Even the consistently liberal and Democrat-friendly Santa Fe New Mexican, in an article criticizing King for several failures had this to say:

His involvement in the investment-council case comes off as running interference for several Democrats who abused their power - and that might yet include former Gov. Bill Richardson, whom Malott also served as campaign treasurer. There's at least the appearance of the Democratic AG as a convenient accessory for fellow Democrats.

Richardson is not named as a defendant in the amended suit and his spokesman is stalwartly defending his boss as he and other Friends of Bill always have. Unfortunately for them and the Guv, the smoke just keeps coming from the muzzle of the yet-to-be-found pistola fumada.

Many New Mexicans believe that pistola will have El Gobernador's fingerprints all over it.