Former AG candidate Myles joins DA race
A second Democrat on Tuesday entered the race for Oklahoma County district attorney.
Mark Myles, 65, of Oklahoma City, promised in his announcement to be tough on crime yet bring a commonsense and fair approach to the top law enforcement position in the county.
He ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat in 2018 for attorney general and in 2010 for U.S. Senate.
He described himself in his announcement as an “an independent attorney practicing criminal, administrative, civil and family law.” He also has worked as a prosecutor in Logan County in the past.
He became an attorney in 2008 after working for years for IBM. He said his motivation to change careers and help others came from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
“I do not come from special interests, and I’m a trained economist who knows how business works and how government is supposed to work,” he said in his announcement.
He also said, “Evil, criminal people who hurt others should go to jail, but every dollar spent on housing too many nonviolent offenders with no criminal history — who pose no threat to public safety — is a dollar that could be spent to pay a teacher or provide updated textbooks for our children, our most precious resource.
“I look forward to collaborating with lawmakers to advocate for policy changes to achieve results that benefit us all.”
Already in the race as a Democrat is Vicki Behenna, a former federal prosecutor who helped get the death penalty for Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
Also in the race are four Republicans — Kevin Calvey, an Oklahoma County commissioner; Gayland Gieger, an Oklahoma County assistant district attorney; Jacqui Ford, a defense attorney; and Robert W. Gray, a defense attorney.