By John Dobberstein, Editor
Believing a crime may have been committed, Wagoner County District Attorney Jack Thorp is investigating the grand jury petition effort against himself and Wagoner County Sheriff Chris Elliott.
The group Wagoner County Citizens Against Corruption filed a petition request in Wagoner County District Court in May, alleging misconduct in office by Elliott and Thorp.
Rumors have circulated for weeks that a warrant would be served for the sheets containing petition signatures, and a warrant did surface Thursday, Erin Christy and KRJH reported.
When the petition drive against Thorp and Elliott ended in June with a judge ruling there weren’t enough valid signatures on the petition to impanel a grand jury, the Sentinel asked them if an investigation was under way and did not receive a direct response.
The issue appears to be whether there were false statements made by petitioners during the signature gathering process, or if citizens who weren’t legal voting citizens in Wagoner County signed. Both instances would be a violation of state law.
A probable cause affidavit signed by Lt. Danny Elliott and served on the Wagoner County Clerk’s Office requests, “Copies of all paperwork, including voter signature pages for the Convening of a Grand Jury in Wagoner County for 2025 after the Wagoner County Board of Elections returned to the Court Clerk with a final legal count of signatures,” KJRH reported.
WCCAC has said the constitutional basis for the petition is found in the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, “to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” among other rights.
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