Here’s how today’s New York Times describes the background of former Washington Gov. Gary Locke:

Supporters say Mr. Locke, the nation’s first and only Chinese-American governor and now an expert on China issues as a partner in a prominent Seattle law firm, brings something new: an international focus, centrist pragmatism, strong skills in public policy and a largely scandal-free résumé.

Scandal free? We’ll see, but Michelle Malkin has had lots to write about Governor Locke in the past.

And remember all that talk in August from Democrats to boycott the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics over China’s human rights record? Locke had a slightly different thought:

The next year, Mr. Locke helped organize the 2006 visit to Seattle of President Hu Jintao of China, which was Mr. Hu’s only other American stop on his way to meet with President George W. Bush. Last summer, Mr. Locke carried the Olympic torch on one of its last legs in China before it reached Beijing.

Seattle Weekly has more:

Of course, there was that memory loss and all those “I don’t recall . . . I don’t remember” statements to Congressional investigators in 1999, probing his gubernatorial campaign fund-raising efforts; the astonishing $3.2 billion tax break he gave to Boeing while never disclosing he paid $715,000 to – and relied on the advice of – Boeing’s own private consultant and outside auditor for advice; and those favors for his brother-in-law (who lived in the governor’s mansion), including a tax break for his relative’s company, personal intervention in a company dispute, and Locke’s signature on a federal loan application for the company.