James Graff Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Managed a team of seven reporters covering the Justice Department, the Supreme Court and D.C. federal courts as well as legal enforcement actions of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. Planned and executed news stories, analysis and graphics on signal events, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Donald Trump’s indictments and antitrust suits against Amazon and Google.

Greater New York City Area, Washington

After editing mostly international stories, was named the principal publishing editor for the Michael Cohen/Stormy Daniels investigation, for which the Journal won a 2019 Pulitzer Prize, and later for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Planned coverage, reworked story architecture, shepherded stories through standards and legal vetting, conceived graphics, optimized presentation.

Set weekly news agenda, supervised staff and ran operations for major weekly newsmagazine (circulation 550,000) prized for its crisp editorial voice. Edited the foreign,business, briefing, health and science pages, as well as main news stories; wrote bylinededitor’s letter every second week commenting on current events.

Key member of team that transformed an underperforming news aggregator, entirely dependent on Associated Press copy and AOL Welcome Screen traffic, into an independent, original news site drawing up to 220,000 external referrals per day. Assembled and supervised a network of foreign-based contributors, assigned and edited breaking-hour stories offering perspective beyond that of the wire services.

Was the principal editor of all stories placed on Time.com during the eight-hour daily period for which London had responsibility (in rotation with Hong Kong and New York). Commissioned and edited stories on politics, business, arts and travel for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) edition of Time, serving for much of that period as the magazine's deputy editor. Co-supervised seven London staff reporters and nine correspondents in EMEA, as well as numerous freelancers. Approved photo selection, illustration and layout, wrote stories for both the magazine and the website.

Managed team of three staff correspondents, photo editor/librarian, editorial assistant, numerous stringers and contributors in one of Time's largest foreign bureaus. Oversaw coverage of news stories and features in most of Europe. Secured and conducted key interview with French President Jacques Chirac on eve of the invasion of Iraq. Broke story on mismanagement of France’s Lascaux Caves.

Principal reporter and writer for stories on the launching of the euro. Reported on the emergence of a strong European anti-trust position. Covered NATO during the Kosovo war, including in situ combat coverage. Helped organize Time’s presence at annual World Economic Forum at Davos. Wrote articles summarizing the global economic outlook of Time's Board of Economists.

Headed staff of four reporters and numerous stringers covering news in 15 states of the Midwest. Helped lead major investigations into the origins of Oklahoma City bombings, the Christian Identity movement, and the Unabomber; wrote stories on social and political topics including abortion rights and charter schools.

Based in Vienna, covered the emergence of capitalist economies and democracy in the former Warsaw pact; interviewed Poland's Lech Walesa, the Czech Republic's Vaclav Klaus and other leaders. Also covered Yugoslavia’s wars of dissolution. Spent months in besieged Sarajevo, went behind Serb lines to report from the until-then unvisited enclave of Gorazde. Interviewed all principal figures in the conflict, including Serb leaders Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic.

Was solely responsible for coverage of Canada, from the negotiations over Quebec at the Meech Lake Accords to justice concerns for First Nation Canadians, immigration to Vancouver, agriculture, architecture, etc. Put together and maintained extensive stringer network across the country.

Taught a course on political journalism for foreign students at Paris' most prestigious graduate school of political science and journalism. Set assignments drawn from that year's ongoing French presidential campaign, sending students out to report on specific electorates and campaign events, exploring background issues, engaging guest lecturers.

Ab With General Honors, General Studies In The Humanities

Taught Journalism Course

Activities and Societies: Taught course in political journalism during the 2007 presidential elections, which gave me an opportunity.

Graduate Studies (No Degree), Modern History

Took classes in modern German history, demographics, literary translation with an eye to a master's degree, but interrupted my studies.

Education record