Other way around. Graft has been used (the political way) since mid 1800s. Grift didn't show up until early 1900s.

According to our good dictionary friends anyway. Etymology nerds.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grift

"Grift may have come from graft, a slightly older word meaning "to acquire dishonestly.""

There's a bunch of other sources saying something generally the same if you care enough to go down rabbit holes.