Darrell McGraw

Darrell Vivian McGraw, Jr. (born November 8, 1936 in McGraws-Tipple, Wyoming County, West Virginia) is an American Democratic politician. He is the brother of former West Virginia State Supreme Court Justice and state Senate President Warren McGraw.

He was elected the state supreme court for a single 12 year term in 1976. He was elected state attorney general in 1992 and re-elected in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008.^[1] He is the only person to have held both offices. He lost his re-election bid for a sixth term in 2012. He received 49% of the vote to Patrick Morrisey's 51%. He filed on January 30, 2016 as a candidate seeking election to the West Virginia state supreme court in 2016, but was defeated.^[2]

Early life and education

McGraw graduated from Pineville High School and served two years in the United States Army, stationed in Germany, before beginning his undergraduate career at West Virginia University, where he served as student body president and dedicated the mast of the U.S.S. West Virginia, which still stands as a landmark at the university.

After earning his Juris Doctor at West Virginia University, he began working under Governor Hulett Smith.

Political career

Prior to acting in an official capacity within West Virginian politics, McGraw took a behind the scenes role, serving as counsel to Hulett C. Smith, Governor from 1965 to 1969, and the West Virginia Legislature. For twelve years starting in 1976, he was a state Supreme Court Justice. During his tenure, McGraw upheld the state Freedom of Information Act, ordering that any exemptions that were to be granted related to this legislation were to be extremely limited. In 1980 he officiated at the wedding of Larry Shannon Roberts, a former WCHS weatherman, and Diana Rhodes Lovejoy, a former WV State Tax Dept employee. The wedding was held in the State Capitol Rotunda, the first known wedding to be held at this location.

In 1992 he was elected Attorney General. As Attorney General for the State of West Virginia, he has been involved in many high profile national cases, including the 1998 multi-billion dollar State Tobacco Settlement, which secured billions of dollars for the state of West Virginia. As of a result of the settlement money, West Virginia will save $2.5 billion due to a bond sale that resulted from the settlement.^[3] His office also litigated refunds for over 1,200 state residents from DirecTV totaling $152,000.00^[4]

Criticisms

While Attorney General, McGraw was criticized by some newspapers, state legislators, tort reform advocates, and the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, who accuse him of cronyism,^[5] benefiting trial lawyers who contribute to his political campaigns, and inappropriate use of public resources.^[6] The WV Record is a newspaper financially supported and published by the US Chamber of Commerce.

Election results

Supreme Court

• 1976 – ELECTED ^[7]
• 1988 – DEFEATED in primary ^[8]
• 2016 - DEFEATED in non-partisan election with 22%

Attorney General

• 1996 – ELECTED ^[9]
• 2000 – REELECTED UNOPPOSED^[10]
• 2004 – REELECTED with 50.4%^[11]
• 2008 – REELECTED with 50.4%^[12]
• 2012 – DEFEATED receiving 49% of vote.

References

External links

• Candidate Information from OurCampaigns.com

Attorneys General of West Virginia
A. B. Caldwell Hall Maxwell Melvin A. B. Caldwell Sprigg Mathews White Watts A. Caldwell Riley Rucker Freer May Conley Lilly England Lee Holt Meadows Wysong Thomas Partlow Marland Browning, Sr. Fox Barron Robertson Browning Jr. Brown Tompkins Palumbo McGraw Morrisey

Current statewide elected officials and legislative leaders of West Virginia
U.S. Senators	Joe Manchin Shelley Moore Capito
State government	Earl Ray Tomblin, Governor Natalie Tennant, Secretary of State Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General John Perdue, Treasurer Lisa Hopkins, Auditor Walt Helmick, Agriculture Commissioner
Senate	Bill Cole, President
House	Tim Armstead, Speaker
Supreme Court	Menis Ketchum, Chief Justice Robin Davis Brent Benjamin Margaret Workman Allen Loughry