Editing Sam Graves (section)

==Ethics investigation==
In 2009, the [[United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct|House Ethics Committee]] began an inquiry into whether Graves used his position on the [[United States House Committee on Small Business|Small Business Committee]] to invite Brooks Hurst, a longtime friend and a business partner of his wife, to testify at a committee hearing on the federal regulation of [[biodiesel]] and [[ethanol]] production. Graves had failed to mention the financial link between his wife and Hurst at the hearing, which dealt with federal subsidies for renewable fuels. A review by the independent [[Office of Congressional Ethics]] found "substantial reason to believe that an appearance of conflict of interest was created."<ref>[http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/1538682.html]{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref> Graves said in a statement, "I look forward to a quick review of the facts and answering any questions that the committee may have. I believe that a speedy review will show that all the rules of the House concerning testimony in front of the Small Business Committee were followed."<ref>
 {{cite news
 |first=Larry |last=Margasak
 |title=Ethics panel defers probe on Jesse Jackson Jr.
 |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isD4Tm-5D4OFcA0LUEPQcnltY46AD9AOHICO2
 |agency=Associated Press
 |date=September 16, 2009  |access-date=September 16, 2009
}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The Office of Congressional Ethics referred the case to the House Ethics committee, which ended its own investigation in October, and released a report finding no ethical violations, as it asserted there was no standard in place for appearances like Hurst's.<ref>Larry Margasak [https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091030/ap_on_bi_ge/us_congress_leaked_ethics_report] Congressional ethics report leaked, reveals names LARRY MARGASAK, October 30, 2009  Associated Press</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clcblog.org/blog_item-303.html |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20120907070916/http://www.clcblog.org/blog_item-303.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 7, 2012 |title=Campaign Legal Center blog: Fault Ethics Committee, Not OCE |publisher=Clcblog.org |date=November 20, 2009 |access-date=August 22, 2010 }}</ref>