CLAREMORE - A petition seeking a grand jury investigation into District Attorney Janice Steidley and other Rogers County officials was filed Monday.
Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton and Claremore Police Officers John Singer and Steve Cox were among the six county residents who signed the petition, which asks for a probe into, among other things, Steidley's alleged witness tampering, alleged wiretapping of courthouse employees by Steidley and Assistant District Attorney Bryce Lair, and Steidley's alleged sending threatening text messages to a deputy sheriff, records show.
The petition asks whether Steidley should be removed from office for "oppression and corruption in office and willful maladministration." It also alleges malfeasance by Assistant District Attorneys David Iski and Timothy Wantland and County Commissioners Mike Helm and Kirt Thacker.
Steidley took office as the district attorney for District 12, which serves Rogers, Mayes and Craig counties, in January 2011.
"I've heard the words 'transparency in government' so many times," Walton said. "If there is wrongdoing, let's get it corrected. If not, we'll sit down, shut up and go back to work."
Other Rogers County residents who signed the petition to impanel were Russell Guilfoyle, Billy D. Jones and Myron Grubowski.
"The allegations against our office are baseless and pathetic," Steidley said in a prepared statement. "My office and I have done nothing more than do our jobs, and we have been transparent in doing so.
"We will continue to do our jobs for the people of Rogers, Mayes and Craig counties, no matter the political pressure or ridiculous claims that are made."
To convene a grand jury, the presiding district judge must find the petition to impanel a grand jury sufficient. If the paperwork is approved, circulators of the petition will have 45 calendar days to obtain a sufficient number of signatures of registered county voters.
The petition filed Monday alleges that Steidley and Lair conspired with others in 2011 to wiretap employee work spaces in the courthouse. It also claims that the DA sent text messages to a deputy sheriff on May 8, 2012, threatening "war" with the officers over criticisms made of her professional performance, records show.
The document further alleges that Steidley and Lair conspired to falsely report a crime in 2013, manufacturing bogus allegations of perjury against Singer relating to the rape he investigated 18 months earlier.
"The environment the way it is right now is crippling law enforcement. That's especially true when other agencies have the ability to work other jurisdictions and they avoid our jurisdiction because they know how things are in the District Attorney's Office," Walton said.
The petition also alleges that Helm and Thacker engaged in "bid splitting" and that Iski and Wantland "intentionally misled" a district judge with statements they made to the court.
"It's completely baseless, politics as usual," Thacker said of the filing. "Quite frankly, if they want to get a grand jury together, step on up. Let's get it on."
Helm also is accused of violating the County Purchasing Act.
"I look forward to the chance to defend and vindicate myself," he said. "We would be very happy to see that happen."
Rhett Morgan 918-581-8395
rhett.morgan@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: Petition seeks grand jury probe of DA
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Read the 13-page petition.
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