Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson is on the witness list in the trial of a Las Cruces judge accused of bribery, the Albuquerque Journal reports. Richardson is joined on the witness list by more than a dozen judges.

District Judge Michael Murphy is on trial for allegedly paying for his judgeship.

Murphy was indicted May 13 on charges of bribery, criminal solicitation and intimidation of a witness for allegedly telling a prospective judge in 2007 that she needed to make payments to a local Democratic activist and friend of Richardson to ensure an appointment.

Richardson did not respond to the paper except through spokesman Gilbert Gallegos to say, “Governor Richardson doesn’t comment on political witchhunts.”

Richardson has insisted that Murphy did not pay for his judgeship and Democrats have said that the trial is politically motivated. The special prosecutor in the case is Republican Matt Chandler, who lost his bid to become Attorney General to Gary King in 2010.