Statement released by former U.S. Attorney Todd Graves:

This would be humorous if we were not talking about the United States Department of Justice. First, you tell me that DOJ staffers were making secret hit lists and my name was on one of them.

Then, you tell me that a staffer for Missouri’s senior Senator had a hit list so secret that not even the Senator knew about it.

I was an elected state prosecutor before I was appointed US Attorney. As a prosecutor I was always fiercely independent–I just called balls and strikes.

For instance, when I gave now Senator Claire McCaskill her non-prosecution letter in 2004, I didn’t ask for permission, I just did the right thing. I thought that was my job.

When I first interviewed in 2001 with the United States Attorney screening committee at DOJ, I was asked to give the panel one attribute that describes me. I said independent. Apparently, that was the wrong attribute.

Public office is not an entitlement. I served nearly 12 years as a public prosecutor. It was a privilege. I loved every minute, but it is far better to take a graceful exit than to do something that you should be ashamed of.

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