Todd Graves (attorney)

Early life and career

Graves was born in 1965 or 1966. He was raised on a farm. He was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 21 and underwent surgery. Graves received an undergraduate degree in agricultural economics, with a minor in political science, from the University of Missouri, and a Juris Doctor degree and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Virginia in 1991.

Right out of law school, Graves was employed as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Missouri, and served that year as a staff assistant on the Governor's Commission on Crime. From 1992–1994, Graves was in private practice with the law firm of Bryan Cave. In 1994, he was elected as Platte County Prosecuting Attorney (at the time, he was the youngest full-time prosecuting attorney in Missouri), and re-elected in 1998, an office that he held until his U.S. Attorney appointment. Graves ran for State Treasurer of Missouri in 2000, but lost the general election to Nancy Farmer.

U.S. Attorney

Graves took his oath of office on September 17, 2001, as an interim United States attorney appointed by the U.S. District Court. His appointment was approved by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate on October 11, 2001.

Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

Main article: 2006 dismissal of U.S. attorneys

In January 2006, Graves was asked to step down from his job by Michael A. Battle (R), then director of the Justice department's Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. This was not made public. Graves had clashed with the Department of Justice's civil rights division over a federal lawsuit involving Missouri's voter rolls. The department was pushing for a lawsuit against Missouri, accusing the state of failing to eliminate ineligible people from voter rolls. Graves refused to sign off on the lawsuit, which was subsequently authorized by Graves' successor, Bradley Schlozman (R). In April 2007, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit. Graves publicly revealed that he had been asked to resign in May 2007.

In October 2008, U.S. Senator (R-MO) Kit Bond apologized to Graves, after a U.S. Justice Department report cited Bond forcing Graves out over a disagreement with Representative Sam Graves (R). Following the report, Attorney General Michael Mukasey appointed a special prosecutor to investigate whether former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (R) and other officials involved in the firings of nine U.S. attorneys broke the law. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed an Ethics Committee complaint against Bond over his role in ousting Graves.

After resigning from his position as U.S. attorney, Graves formed the law firm of Graves Bartle & Marcus, LLC, which has evolved into the firm Graves Garrett LLC and is based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Subsequent career

Graves was unanimously elected to a two-year term as chairman of the Missouri Republican Party in January 2017. His firm is the registered agent of Cornerstone 1791 and Liberty Alliance USA, an organization described by its executive director, Chris Vas, as "formed in order to grow the conservative movement in Missouri now and for decades to come."

Graves serves as President of the Board to the Stanley M. Herzog Foundation, which supports the advancement of Christian education through an endowment of nearly half a billion dollars. The foundation's stated mission is to support education that instills values like commitment to God, family, and community. The foundation is headquartered in Smithville, Missouri at their 18,000 square foot training and office facility completed in the summer of 2022.

On March 18, 2021, Governor Mike Parson nominated Graves to serve on the University of Missouri Board of Curators from the 6th congressional district. On April 7, 2021, Graves was confirmed to the board. His term will end on January 1, 2027.

Personal life

As of 2017, Graves operates a cattle ranching business near Smithville, Missouri. As of 2007, he is married and has four children. He has a brother, Sam, a politician.

References

Sources

• Talev, Margaret; Ron Hutcheson and Marisa Taylor (2007-04-27). Administration considered firing 12 U.S. attorneys but cut list down", realcities.com; accessed April 24, 2015.
• David Stout (May 10, 2007). "House "Democrats Raise New Criticism of Gonzales", The New York Times; retrieved May 10, 2007.

References

1. (12 October 2001). "PN949 - Nomination of Todd Peterson Graves for Department of Justice, 107th Congress (2001-2002)".
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20021020103328/http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/aboutus/graves.html {{Bare URL inline. (August 2024)
3. [https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/nominations/574.html Graves profile], georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov, May 8, 2007; accessed April 24, 2015.
4. "Kansas City lawyer tied to tea party groups tapped to be new head of Missouri Republican Party". St Louis Public Radio.
5. Grenz, Chris. (2007-01-18). "Bold moves, challenges are nothing new to Todd Graves".
6. [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/progress_report.pdf Western District of Missouri: A Record of the United States Attorneys Office, 2001-2006], usdoj.gov; accessed April 24, 2015.
7. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=2185
8. (2008). "An Investigation into the Removal of Nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006".
9. Amy Goldstein and Dan Eggen. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/09/AR2007050902718.html?hpid=topnews "Number of Fired Prosecutors Grows: Dismissals Began Earlier Than Justice Dept. Has Said"]. washingtonpost.com, May 10, 2007; accessed April 24, 2015/
10. [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/news2006/graves.resign.pdf Todd Graves steps down as U.S. Attorney] {{Webarchive. link. (2007-08-09 , usdoj.gov, March 10, 2006; retrieved May 8, 2007.)
11. Greg Gordon (May 4, 2007). [http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/94097.html "GOP sought to suppress votes in Missouri, critics say: Missouri is among states where alleged efforts to dampen Democratic turnout were focused"], kansascity.com; accessed April 24, 2015.
12. Helling, Dave. (September 29, 2008). "Group files ethics complaint against Bond". [[The Kansas City Star]] Prime Buzz.
13. Elkins, Ashley. (2008-01-18). "We tried to influence judge, Langston says".
14. Shumaker, Jessica. (2016-01-25). "Influential Lawyers".
15. (2017-01-12). "Todd Graves Elected Missouri GOP Chairman » Missouri GOP".
16. "After Post-Dispatch inquiry, new Missouri political group files state-mandated paperwork". STLtoday.com.
17. NOW, Marcus Clem News-Press. (14 December 2020). "Herzog leaves Christian education legacy".
18. McKinney, Roger. "Who Gov. Mike Parson appointed to University of Missouri Board of Curators".
19. "Todd P. Graves {{!}} University of Missouri System".
20. Smith, RJ. (2017-11-14). "Turning Over the Soil".