Stephen Rapp

Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes (since August 2009)

(Drake University)

Why He Matters

Rapp has come face-to-face with some of the most vicious criminals in the world. The Harvard-educated lawyer initially dreamed of becoming a congressman, but abandoned that dream after he was defeated twice in the 1970s. Instead, Rapp committed his life to law, working his way from private practice in Iowa to U.S. Attorney in Iowa.

After seven years in that position, Rapp was ready for a new challenge. He applied to prosecute war crimes with the United Nations. His work has brought him face-to-face with some of the cruelest leaders in the world, including the genocidaires in Rwanda and the leaders of the Sierra Leone civil war, who murdered, raped and maimed thousands of citizens.

Read more

Corrections?

Background

At a Glance

Career History: Director, Office of the Prosecutor in the Special Court (2006 to 2009); Senior Trial Attorney, International Criminal Court (2001 to 2006); U.S. Attorney, Iowa (1993 to 2001)
Birthday: January 26, 1949
Hometown: Waterloo, Iowa

Alma Mater: Harvard University, B.A., Drake Law School, J.D.
Spouse: Dolly Maier

Path to Power

Rapp was born on Jan. 26, 1949 in Waterloo, Iowa. He attended Harvard University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in government and international relations. He continued on at Columbia Law School, though he eventually earned his J.D. from Drake Law School.

One of the most formative experiences of Rapp's young life came during a summer in Washington. He was parking his Chevrolet after a long day interning for an Iowa congressman when a stranger reached into his car and hit him in the face with a gun. Without warning, three men jumped into Rapp's car, shoved him into his trunk and drove him four hours away. They left him to die, but someone heard his screams and called the police.

Read more

This dramatic night convinced Rapp to become a lawyer. "It made me think that we need to catch these people, convict them and always keep them away from others," he told the DesMoines Register in 2007.

After graduating, Rapp practiced law at Waterloo, Iowa. He also served as a Staff Director and Counsel at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and as an elected member of the Iowa Legislature.

In 1974 and 1976, Rapp ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He lost narrowly to now Sen. Charles Grassley. He opposed him again in 1976, losing with 44 percent of the vote.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Rapp U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. He was one of the first federal prosecutors to convict repeat abusers under the Violence Against Women Act. His office also worked to reduce drug abuse by holding more than 200 public forums to educate people about methamphetamine, the highly addictive drug that had grown increasingly popular in the Midwest.

In 2001, Rapp accepted a position as senior trial attorney and chief of prosecutions at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He led the trial team that convicted the reporters from the national radio station and newspaper with encouraging genocide. Initially, the court was widely criticized for its constant delays and its high cost. But Rapp's victory changed the international mood.

War Crimes in Sierra Leone

In 2006, Rapp was tapped by Kofi Annan to run the Office of the Prosecutor in the Special Court created by the United Nations to adjudicate the war crimes committed in Sierra Leone. Rapp prosecuted former Liberian President Charles Taylor and other top officials alleged to have led a "campaign of terror" against the population. The officials were accused of murder, mutilation, and crimes against women.

The case set several precedents. It was the first case to find forced marriage and sexual assault crimes against humanity. "We've been able to go beyond what's been done at the Rwanda tribunal and the Yugoslavia tribunal," Rapp told NPR in 2009. "The expectation is that there has to be accountability to people at the highest level ... as we win these cases, we begin to send a message that if you commit these crimes, you can face consequences. And in the past, the word was impunity."

Rapp also tried Taylor's son, who is the first American citizen tried for war crimes.

His work with the United Nations also turned Rapp into a fierce advocate for the International Criminal Court. In 2007, he hosted a delegation of U.S. Congressional staffers.

In August 2009, Rapp was confirmed as Ambassador-at-Large for war crimes issues.

The Issues

Rapp has become one of the strongest advocates for bringing war criminals to justice through national and international courts. "We have to pursue accountability" for war crimes, Rapp said at his 2009 confirmation hearing. "A prosecutor clearly has to look at the evidence and with independence follow that evidence where it leads."

The ultimate goals of tribunals, he has said, should be to achieve justice, promote peacebuilding and encourage reconciliation. In order for prosecutions to be successful, Rapp emphasized that the trials must be completed in a timely manner and that they must incorporate both national and international elements. This can be done in a variety of ways, Rapp said, including using an international court but creating a jury of national citizens or by applying national laws to the accused in an international court.

Read more

The Network

Rapp is close with both Iowa senators. Sen. Tom Harkin (D) nominated Rapp for the position. Rapp's relationship with Sen. Charles Grassley (R) spans decades. The two competed for the same house seat in the 1970s. They later became close friends - Grassley even recommended that the Democrat Rapp keep his U.S. Attorney seat after President George W. Bush was elected in 2001.

Additional Resources