If you have any interest in this story at all, I suggest you read this story by UT San Diego. It goes into a lot of detail that none of the other stories do.
Several paragraphs stood out though. Here is the quote:
Richards wouldn’t say how much he donated to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to get the commission post, but it’s well-known that commissioners, or their representatives and handlers, must kick in a large sum to get the post. It used to be $50,000, but some believe today it’s as much as $100,000.
“I liked Arnold very much,” Richards said. “I supported him and I gave him money to run for Governor.”
Asked how much, whether it was five or six figures, Richards would only say, “Let’s say I helped him out.”
