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Graves
one step closer to being U.S. attorney
by
Ivan Foley
Landmark editor
Another
step in the process of Todd Graves becoming the next U.S.
attorney for Missouri's Western District has taken place.
In a move that had been anticipated for months, President
George W. Bush last week formally nominated Graves for
the position. All that's left now is for the nomination
of Graves to be approved by the U.S. Senate.
The Senate, which won't return to session in Washington,
D.C. until Sept. 4, is expected to okay the nomination
by the middle of September.
"I'm thrilled," said Graves, who has consistently
low-keyed discussion of his pending appointment.
A source familiar with the process said it would be highly
unusual for a U.S. attorney nomination not to be approved
once the process has reached this point. Such nominations
are often run through the Senate on a voice vote, the
source said.
There are 400 positions to be appointed by the president
and confirmed by the Senate, and 93 of those spots are
U.S. attorneys. Out of the 93 U.S. attorneys, Graves was
in the first batch of eight the White House sent in for
Senate approval.
"I guess they thought I was qualified," Graves
said Monday.
It has been a whirlwind past several months for Graves,
prosecutor in Platte County since 1994. After being defeated
in a race for state treasurer by Democrat Nancy Farmer
in November, on Jan. 16 Graves was informed U.S. Sen.
Kit Bond had forwarded his name to the White House for
consideration.
Then came background checks by the White House in the
spring. Around July 1, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) did its background check that involved 170 interviews
and 15 FBI agents; then there were financial questionnaires,
etc. Finally, word last week that Bush had sent his name
on to the Senate.
"My concern now is that I want the next Platte County
Prosecutor to succeed. My family and I are going to stay
in Platte County, we're not going to move," said
Graves, who resides in a rural area of northeastern Platte
County.
Graves said he will strive to make the transition an
easy one for the next county prosecutor.
The next prosecutor for Platte County will be appointed
by Gov. Bob Holden, a Democrat. As previously reported
in The Landmark, a top possibility to get the appointment
is Tammy Glick, a Democrat. Glick is an attorney based
in Platte City and a member of the Platte County R-3 School
Board. She is an attorney for the Platte County Juvenile
Office in addition to her private practice.
Other Democratic possibilities being mentioned are John
Fairfield, a Kansas City-North attorney, and Dennis Eckold,
an attorney who is a member of the Kansas City Police
Board.
The replacement chosen by Holden will serve until an
election for the county prosecutor's post in November
2002. Sources say Eric Zahnd of southern Platte County
intends to run for prosecutor on the Republican ticket
in 2002.
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