Todd Graves (attorney)
| Todd Graves | |
|---|---|
| United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri | |
|
In office 2001–2006 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Tarkio, Missouri |
| Political party | Republican |
| Relations | Sam Graves (brother) |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Todd P. Graves is a private practice attorney, Republican lawyer and politician, who previously served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. A twice-elected state prosecutor who is currently in private practice with the law firm Graves Garrett LLC, his practice focuses on representing individuals and businesses nationwide before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Graves was born and raised in Tarkio, Missouri. His brother is U.S. Representative Sam Graves. On December 13, 2016, Missouri Governor-Elect Eric Greitens announced his endorsement of Graves for Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party.
He filed a lawsuit in May 2014 on behalf of political activist Eric O'Keefe (Wisconsin Club for Growth) against the Government Accountability Board (GAB) in Wisconsin, which captured national media attention, including coverage by The Wall Street Journal. The lawsuit, which also names Kevin Kennedy, the board's executive director and general counsel, asserts that, under Kennedy's direction, the GAB collaborated with five county district attorneys in a secret John Doe investigation of O'Keefe and the Wisconsin Club for Growth. According to the suit, this is in violation of state statutes that restrict GAB to investigations relating to civil violations of campaign laws.
Graves was the first lawyer to file a suit on behalf of a group of Tea Party organizations against the Internal Revenue Service, alleging the IRS engaged in inappropriate “targeting of conservative political groups for extra scrutiny as they sought tax-exempt status”, as reported in The Kansas City Star. The lawsuit, pending in the Southern District of Ohio, where most Tea Party applications were initially processed, raises claims of viewpoint-based discrimination and retaliation under the First Amendment.
Graves also operates a cattle ranching business near Smithville, Missouri, which has been featured by the Kansas City Business Journal. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Herzog Contracting Corp, a St. Joseph-based railroad and road construction company.
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