Rufus L. Edmisten
Encyclopedia
Rufus Leigh Edmisten is a former North Carolina
Secretary of State
, Attorney General
, and candidate for Governor in 1984. He is currently a lawyer in private practice.
Rufus Edmisten was born and raised in Boone, North Carolina. He earned an undergraduate degree in political science with honors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, and a J.D. from the George Washington University
Law Center in Washington, D.C.
where he served on the Law Review. During law school, he joined the Capitol Hill staff of North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin
. In 1973-1974, Edmisten was a staff counsel for the Senate Watergate Committee, which Ervin chaired. Edmisten served the subpoena to the White House for the Watergate tapes. During his time working for Senator Ervin, Edmisten had the opportunity to participate in such important legislative initiatives as securing constitutional rights for American Indians. He served as the Chief Counsel and Staff Director to the Separation of Powers
Committee. He capped his Capitol Hill experience as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee, and, following Senator Ervin's retirement, returned to North Carolina in 1974.
Following his return to North Carolina, Edmisten was elected to the post of state attorney general in 1974 and served in that post for ten years. While North Carolina's attorney general, Edmisten was engaged in the successful effort to prevent the damming of the scenic New River. He launched a series of legislative efforts as varied as securing victim's rights, enhancing the state's historic preservation laws, and setting new educational standards for the state's law enforcement personnel. Edmisten was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1984 (losing to Republican James G. Martin
). After his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign, Edmisten practiced law with Reagan H. Weaver for four years until he won the office of Secretary of State in the 1988 and 1992 elections. As Secretary of State he broadened securities oversight in an effort to protect investors, and worked with the General Assembly to craft a law to establish Limited Liability Corporations
in North Carolina. He also launched a non-profit, the Foundation for Good Business. In 1996 Edmisten resigned from office after an audit of the Secretary of State's office led to a State Bureau of Investigations inquiry into numerous abuses. Edmisten maintained that his resignation had nothing to do with the investigation.
After his resignation in 1996 Edmisten launched a legal practice that merged with that of former NC Department of Justice
colleague Woody Webb in 1998. Thomas Moore became as a partner in 2010 and the firm name is now Edmisten, Webb & Moore. Edmisten also runs a charity in North Carolina called Extra Special Super Kids. The Super Kids program provides scholarships for college to underprivileged high school students wishing to pursue higher learning. Rufus and his wife, Linda, live in a designated 1921 Raleigh Historic Landmark house.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Secretary of State
North Carolina Secretary of State
The North Carolina Secretary of State is an elected official in the U.S. state of North Carolina, heading the Department of the Secretary of State, which oversees many of the economic and business-related operations of the state government...
, Attorney General
North Carolina attorney general
The Attorney General of North Carolina is the head of the state's Department of Justice and provides legal representation and advice to all state agencies. He or she does not have the authority to prosecute specific crimes unless requested to do so by a local district attorney...
, and candidate for Governor in 1984. He is currently a lawyer in private practice.
Rufus Edmisten was born and raised in Boone, North Carolina. He earned an undergraduate degree in political science with honors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, and a J.D. from the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
Law Center in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where he served on the Law Review. During law school, he joined the Capitol Hill staff of North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin
Sam Ervin
Samuel James "Sam" Ervin Jr. was a Democratic Senator from North Carolina from 1954 until 1974. A native of Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina, he liked to call himself a "country lawyer", and often told humorous stories in his Southern drawl...
. In 1973-1974, Edmisten was a staff counsel for the Senate Watergate Committee, which Ervin chaired. Edmisten served the subpoena to the White House for the Watergate tapes. During his time working for Senator Ervin, Edmisten had the opportunity to participate in such important legislative initiatives as securing constitutional rights for American Indians. He served as the Chief Counsel and Staff Director to the Separation of Powers
Separation of powers
The separation of powers, often imprecisely used interchangeably with the trias politica principle, is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic...
Committee. He capped his Capitol Hill experience as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee, and, following Senator Ervin's retirement, returned to North Carolina in 1974.
Following his return to North Carolina, Edmisten was elected to the post of state attorney general in 1974 and served in that post for ten years. While North Carolina's attorney general, Edmisten was engaged in the successful effort to prevent the damming of the scenic New River. He launched a series of legislative efforts as varied as securing victim's rights, enhancing the state's historic preservation laws, and setting new educational standards for the state's law enforcement personnel. Edmisten was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1984 (losing to Republican James G. Martin
James G. Martin
James Grubbs "Jim" Martin is the 70th Governor of the state of North Carolina. He served from 1985 to 1993. He was the second Republican elected to the office after Reconstruction, and the fifth overall. He is also the only Republican to serve two full terms as governor.-Early Life &...
). After his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign, Edmisten practiced law with Reagan H. Weaver for four years until he won the office of Secretary of State in the 1988 and 1992 elections. As Secretary of State he broadened securities oversight in an effort to protect investors, and worked with the General Assembly to craft a law to establish Limited Liability Corporations
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
in North Carolina. He also launched a non-profit, the Foundation for Good Business. In 1996 Edmisten resigned from office after an audit of the Secretary of State's office led to a State Bureau of Investigations inquiry into numerous abuses. Edmisten maintained that his resignation had nothing to do with the investigation.
After his resignation in 1996 Edmisten launched a legal practice that merged with that of former NC Department of Justice
Department of Justice
The names Department of Justice and Justice Department may refer to:*Department of Justice *Department of Justice *Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform *Department of Justice...
colleague Woody Webb in 1998. Thomas Moore became as a partner in 2010 and the firm name is now Edmisten, Webb & Moore. Edmisten also runs a charity in North Carolina called Extra Special Super Kids. The Super Kids program provides scholarships for college to underprivileged high school students wishing to pursue higher learning. Rufus and his wife, Linda, live in a designated 1921 Raleigh Historic Landmark house.