Charles W. Larson, Sr.

Charles W. "Chuck" Larson, Sr. was appointed August 2, 2001, for a term of four years as United States Attorney for the U.S. Northern District of Iowa, U.S. Department of Justice, by President George W. Bush and began his service on September 16, 2001. Larson previously served as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa from 1986 to 1993 under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. 

Larson "has notable foreign policy experience. From 1979 to 1982, the Saudi Royal family recruited Mr. Larson to consult on the Kingdom's Highway Patrol Project." 

Justice Attaché in Iraq
According to an article written in 2005 by Larson for a Des Moines, Iowa, newspaper, he was asked in July 2004 to serve as Justice Attaché to U.S. Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte to help develop an independent judiciary, provide judicial education, particularly "such important topics as human rights, international law and criminal law", "advise the Central Criminal Court of Iraq," and place "focus on court security". On April 28, 2005, Larson wrote the opinion piece "Learn about the PATRIOT Act: Guest View" for the Iowa Globe Gazette while being "on special assignment for the United States Department of Justice in Baghdad, Iraq."

The U.S. Department of Justice states that Larkin served as the Justice Attaché from July 2004 until May 2005. 

Profiles
On October 30, 1998, President Bill Clinton named Charles W. Larson, of Des Moines, Iowa, to the Commission on Drug-Free Communities.

At the time, Larson was serving as Chairman of the Iowa Board of Parole, and had "served for more than four years as the Drug Policy Coordinator for the state of Iowa." His profile stated that: "As Drug Policy Coordinator, he mobilized key sectors of Iowa's communities into coalitions known as SAFE Communities and administered federal anti-crime and state-wide anti-drug prevention and education programs. In addition, he currently serves as a board member on the Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa. From 1986-1993, he served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. Mr. Larson was on active duty in the United States Army from 1959-1960 and retired in 1998 as a Colonel in the United State Army Reserves. Mr. Larson received a B.S. degree from Kansas State University and a J.D. degree from the University of Iowa College of Law."

Larson also graduated from the U.S. Army War College and the United State Army Command and General Staff College. 

Charles W. Larson's name is found on the February 2005 list of U.S. District Attorneys who serve as consultants for the President's National Drug Control Strategy. His son, Iowa State Senator Charles W. Larson, Jr., was appointed March 21, 2003, by President Bush to serve the remainder of a three-year term expiring November 19, 2004, on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Commission on Drug-Free Communities and, March 7, 2006, was reappointed by President Bush "to be a Member of the Advisory Commission on Drug-Free Communities (State Organization), for the remainder of a three-year term expiring November 19, 2007."

On January 16, 2003, then Attorney General John Ashcroft appointed Larson as a member of his 2003 Attorney General's Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys.

Larson earned his B.S. from Kansas State University and J.D. from the University of Iowa. 

Contact Information
U.S. Attorneys Office, Northern District of Iowa 401 First Street SE Suite 400 Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 Phone: (319) 363-6333 Fax: (319) 363-1990

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Bush administration cronyism and incompetence
 * Charles W. Larson, Jr. (son)