Apparently, Bill Clinton’s habit of lying about pretty much everything under the sun rubbed off on several of his buddies, including Clinton adminstration official and current New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.

Richardson has repeatedly claimed in the past that he was drafted as a pitcher by the (then) Kansas City Athletics in 1966. However, The Albuquerque Journal decided to check the accuracy of Richardson’s claim, and discovered that it was untrue.

Richardson’s response?

“After being notified of the situation and after researching the matter . . . I have come to the conclusion that I was not drafted by the A’s.”

That’s funny enough in itself, right? Well, Richardson’s defense gets even better:

Richardson later developed arm trouble, removing any possible pro career. Before that, he said scouts had told him he “would or could” be drafted.

“In my mind, that meant I had been drafted,” Richardson said.

Paul Reichler, an attorney in Washington, D.C., was sports editor of the Tufts student newspaper in the 1960s and remains friends with Richardson. Reichler confirmed there was “so much interest in him” as a pitcher.

“But maybe his desire to be drafted was so strong that he convinced himself that it actually happened,” Reichler said.

All this from a guy who reportedly has his eyes on the presidency.