Claremore Daily Progress

Top Stories

Related Photos

  • District Attorney candidate Patrick Abitbol watches for results at his watch party at Cotton Eyed Joes. In the Background, Gene Haynes, the current DA. Abitbol was defeated by Democratic challenger Janice Steidley.

    Abitbol Primary.tif
July 28, 2010

Abitbol has no regrets in bid for District Attorney

Joy Hampton Staff Reporter

OKLAHOMA CITY — Assistant District Attorney Patrick Abitbol did not succeed in his bid for the District Attorney’s spot, but he has no regrets.

“God helps me more than I deserve sometimes,” said Abitbol. “I’ve got some outstanding friends.”

Shortly before the filing period began, Abitbol learned that his boss District Attorney Gene Haynes would not run against challenger Janice Steidley, a local defense attorney who once worked for the DA’s office. He made the decision to file and hit the ground running already behind the Steidley campaign.

“I am amazed a how quickly we put it together,” he said. “It was a blur.”

Raising money in a poor economy created a special challenge he said but friends pitched in and did what they could. It was a valiant effort, but it was not enough.

Steidley’s seemingly well-heeled campaign sent out multiple mailers in addition to traditional advertising. The money spent paid off. She took a commanding lead from the earliest reporting and held it throughout the race. 

Text Only
Top Stories
  • NTC-Roy-Clark-Cweb.jpg NTC’s opens Roy Clark Music School

    Claremore is no stranger to country music talent.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • RCCJA to hire attorney

    Members of the Rogers County Criminal Justice Authority Thursday approved the hiring of a Tulsa attorney to serve as legal council for the trust, charged with supervising sales tax dollars set aside for the jail.

    February 3, 2012

  • bluestarr-wreck2-3-12web.jpg Blue Starr crash sends one to hospital

    The morning commute proved dangerous for a driver in Claremore this morning, as her Dodge Neon was struck by a semi truck at the intersection of Blue Starr Drive and SH66 just after 7 a.m.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • Flood3web.jpg City proposes storm water fee

    City officials presented the city council with a proposed storm water fee this week to fund future projects to deal with flooding issues.

    February 3, 2012 1 Photo

  • ShakeOut_CUS_DontFreakweb.jpg Are You Ready to ShakeOut?

    With more the 40 million people living and working in the central U.S., a major earthquake could cause unprecedented devastation. What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterwards. With earthquakes an inevitable part of this region's future, we must act quickly to ensure that disasters do not become catastrophes.

    February 2, 2012 1 Photo

  • Punxsyphil.jpg VIDEO: Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction

    More than 18,000 people descended on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney for the annual Groundhog Day celebration.

    February 2, 2012 1 Photo

  • Fallin: Okla. income tax plan to reduce brackets

     Gov. Mary Fallin says her plan to reduce Oklahoma's income tax will reduce the number of tax brackets from seven to three and will include revenue growth criteria that will trigger future tax cuts.

    February 2, 2012

  • Speaker Steele supports Open Records for legislature

    Oklahoma House Speaker Kris Steele says he supports an initiative to require the Oklahoma Legislature to be subject to the requirements of the state's Open Records and Open Meetings Act.

    February 2, 2012

  • Groundhog sees shadow, predicts 6 more weeks of winter

    Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair to “see” his shadow on Thursday, in the process predicting six more weeks of winter.

    February 2, 2012

  • American_Airlines.jpg American Airlines: Tulsa jobs to be slashed by 2,100

    American Airlines is expected to slash about 2,100 jobs at its maintenance facility in Tulsa under a bankruptcy reorganization plan released by its parent company, a spokesman for the airline said Wednesday.

    February 1, 2012 1 Photo