Reply #46: Good link. Looks like a payoff to me. The Missouri citizen group makes it clear

[AikidoSoul]

at that link that the fat deal was a payoff to keep Graves in debt to Blunt which would forestall any serious investigations into Blunt's corrupt activities.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/18/1221/55645

"Gov. Matt Blunt and U.S. Attorney Todd Graves have created a critical conflict of interest, that leaves Missourians with no choice but to question the integrity of the Governor's office and the protection they will receive from the U.S. Attorney's office. With Graves' wife and brother-in-law accepting $3.6 million in no-bid contracts to run two of the state's most lucrative fee offices.

Because Graves' office oversees investigations into wrongdoing or corruption in the state capitol, this situation amounts to $3.6 million in corruption insurance for Blunt. The arrangement seemingly will ensure that the Blunt administration will never be investigated for corruption or wrongdoing as long as Graves and his family continue to get rich off of the Blunt administration.

Tell Matt Blunt and Todd Graves to clean up this mess and fix this conflict of interest immediately. Either Graves' should resign as U.S. Attorney or Blunt must rescind the no-bid handouts he gave to Graves' wife and brother-in-law."