Matthew DePerno, who is running for the Michigan Republican party's nomination for state attorney general, speaks at a rally hosted by former President Donald Trump on April 2, 2022 near. Another factor in his decision to run: Trump, who in July encouraged him to enter the race. Nessel's office began its investigation in February, before DePerno was her opponent. The March 12, 2020, hearing was eventually canceled, according to court records. In November 2020, Antrim County resident, William Bailey, hired Matthew to represent him in his lawsuit against Antrim County and the Michigan Secretary of States office, to conduct his own audit of the November general election irregularities in Antrim County. DePerno has begun to pivot to other issues during the general election campaign, but a special prosecutor is investigating him and others on allegations they illegally accessed voting machine equipment in their efforts to investigate the election. Instead, the Oversight Committee urged Nesselto investigate those who have been utilizing misleading and false information about Antrim County to raise money or publicity for their own ends.. But DePernos critics say GOP delegates should take a closer look at his legal career, which reveals a series of disputes with colleagues, judges and clients. State Rep. Ryan Berman is also running. DePerno's work with Courser led to a years-long defamation suit against The News and staff member Chad Livengood, who broke the story of Courser's affair and the lawmaker's scheme to hide it. I think were going to do local infrastructure and getting back to basics, the blocking and tackling of winning elections.". The office of Dana Nessel, the Michigan attorney general, said that Matthew DePerno and other people had persuaded local clerks in three counties to hand over election equipment. I just think this guy is going to be looking for election fraud under rocks," LaBrant said. DePerno is well-known and well-liked by many clients, but his legal career has been marked by some discord. CONTACT. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. ", Matt DePerno's rapid rise in GOP politics mired in controversy, lawsuits, an Ann Arbor firefighter who challenged the city's COVID-19 vaccine policy, The numbers became jumbled during the communication of the unofficial results to the county's election management system, push for an "independent and nonpartisan forensic audit" in Antrim County, "misleading information and illogical conclusions. $400,000 for an Election Fraud Defense Fund in 2020, and critics have urged him to disclose what he did with that money. Robert Baker, DePerno's lawyer for a portion of the case, told the court at one point that DePerno had "virtually no assets," according to a court transcript. "Someone had to step up and take charge of what was happening. "They are not here. He went on to earn a graduate qualification at theNew York University School of Law. Thousands of Michigan Republican Party delegates participate in the convention as they considered who should be their new leader after suffering historic losses in the November 2022 election. Matthew Wilk of Northville said Republicans cant rely on the state party to do things the state GOP used to do. Asked about that, Castiglia countered that people "are getting sick of the doomsday Dem approach. Hes also suggested banning Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that can prevent pregnancy if taken within three days of having unprotected sex. In 2016, Buhlfiled a requestasking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. Anthony DePerno, 21, is majoring in Supply Chain Management at MSU and is expected to graduate this Spring, 2022. I've taken on tough cases. Were going to be a political machine that strikes fear in the heart of Democrats," Karamo told delegates. "Although we didn't emerge victorious tonight, I believe we sent a strong message to Lansing. Nessel campaign spokeswoman Sarah Stevenson said the incumbent would provide hers if DePerno provided his. Matthew DePerno, who is likely to be Republicans' nominee for attorney general in Michigan, is among a group of election deniers running for offices that have significant authority over voting. Were good neighbors and were going to be winning elections again.. Nessel's race was seen as one of the closer statewide campaigns during the tight midterm race. Whitmer won her first term by 9 points over Republican Bill Schuette in 2018. Trump had actually won the county by 3,788 votes, 61%-37%, a 7,048-vote swing from the unofficial results. In 2005, DePerno launched his own law firm in Kalamazoo County, where he's practiced tax and real estate law. Matt DePerno, an attorney general candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued the firm over his firing and denied the allegations in court. Login. On February 20, 2014, Mr. DePerno physically grabbed (me) by the shirt and informed me that if I did not immediately pay the attorney fees owed that my wife and I would lose our home in a matter of weeks, Ronald Moffit, who died in 2019, said in hissworn affidavit. Instead, DePerno filed a counter-claim against the insurance company without the knowledge or consent of his clients, which prompted the insurer to stop its initial payment. People get into disputes and they say things about each other in litigation, he told Bridge in a phone interview. I think were going to focus on local issues, Wilk said. Now calling himself a constitutional attorney, DePerno told Bridge his favorite cases are those that involve constitutional rights people who have arguments that theyve lost their rights because of government overreach.. In Ingham County, a judge overseeing Todd Coursers criminal case announced he might retire before his term ended because the headache of dealing with DePerno and the other attorneys started to "eat away" at him. but he had a falling out with the firm, which accused him of "acts of fraud and dishonesty" and alleged he "padded" his billable hours. DePerno also transferred "his interest in the marital home" to his wife's trust for $1, according to the lawyers for The News. 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DePerno has never been publicly disciplined by the state, according to records from the Attorney Discipline Board. Matthew DePerno was born in Warren and raised in Troy, Michigan. At issue was DePernos effort to remove Cass County Judge Michael Dodge from the case, arguing the judge could not be impartial because he owned property on a separate lake. When Courser and DePerno sued The Detroit News over its original reporting on the sex scandal, Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Timothy Connors dismissed the case and ordered Courser and DePerno to jointly pay $79,701.63 in sanctions. Some Michigan Republicans say they are . One of DePerno's Republican convention opponents in the spring, Leonard, called on DePerno to detail what happened with the money in March. Karamo was elected as party chairwoman last month, defeating 10 other candidates including Trump-backed former attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno. Longtime GOP mega-donor Ron Weiser, a wealthy Ann Arbor businessman, opted against seeking another term as party chairman. His experience and record of success has benefited individuals, small business, and multi-national corporations. People get into disputes and they say things about each other in litigation, he told Bridge in a phone interview. DePerno was able to obtain jobless assistance by presenting paperwork to the state indicating he was fired for failing to promote a harmonious relationship with the firm, not fraud. Some of DePerno's arguments became the basis for election deniers across the country, LaBrant said. We report because the news impacts all of us. DePerno has clashed frequently with Republicans who have stressed the need to move on from the 2020 election. In 1994, he received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and the following year his Masters in Taxation Law (LL.M.) The ProAssurance Casualty Company alleged DePerno made unreasonable demands of attorneys they had hired to represent him in the Moffits malpractice suit. The COVID-19 pandemic hit Michigan weeks after the DePerno bench warrant was signed. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. He went on to repeatedly appear in Antrim County court to challenge the November 2020 election results while the warrant was in place. All rights reserved. More:As Michigan AG race narrows, Nessel's comments, cases take center stage. I have always supported Matt DePerno, said state Rep. Angela Rigas, R-Caledonia, as she entered the convention on Saturday. Submit. The special prosecutor, D.J. DePerno holds an English degree from the University of Michigan, a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and a graduate degree in taxation from the New York University School of Law. I try not to get emotional when I talk about the guy," Dernis said. DePerno was able to obtain jobless assistance by presenting paperwork to the state indicating he was fired for failing to promote a harmonious relationship with the firm, not fraud. Confused, concerned and ultimately outraged that DePerno was charging them nearly $140,000 after losing them $13,000, Ronald Moffit said he confronted DePerno over the legal bill, which led to what the couples attorney would later call battery and assault by DePerno. Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. Among the questionable billings: DePerno allegedly charged the Moffits $1,024.35 to videotape a deposition that a federal magistrate had ordered him to personally pay as a sanction for obstructing an earlier deposition, coaching a witness and raising utterly meritless objections. "Petitioners have also have been in direct contact with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department to resolve the bench warrants.". But DePernos critics say GOP delegates should take a closer look at his legal career, which reveals a series of disputes with colleagues, judges and clients. Feb 10 Don't miss our Pre-Convention Rally with President Donald Trump THIS MONDAY! "The creditor's exam was scheduled for today," Connors said in court on Feb. 7, 2020, according to a transcript. Lansing Kristina Karamo, who lost her secretary of state race by 14 percentage points but refused to concede, will lead the Michigan Republican Party following an 11-hour convention and three rounds of voting Saturday at the Lansing Center. The settlement was complicated by another lawsuit from DePernos professional liability insurer, who sued him in an attempt to drop him and cancel his policy. She becomes the first Black person to lead the Michigan GOP. "Mr. DePerno has received calls from the sheriff's deputy that's going to come and try to execute writs of execution, I guess, on his office furniture and supplies," Baker said during a Jan. 16, 2020, court hearing. DePerno also has fiercely loyal supporters who defend his legal work, including clients, who contend hed make a strong attorney general. You can also contact us by using this form: First Name. He moved to Kalamazoo Michigan in 1995 after law school, where he currently resides with his wife of 25 years, Laura and their two dogs Toby and Kodak. "And I have had people approach me across the state, and they've asked me, 'Where did that money go?'". "And I assume that the next step would be after this debtor's exam today to determine who owes Mr. DePerno money, and then they're going to proceed to garnish all of his, or what they can, of his receivables.". "From his dangerous stances on abortion and birth control, to his embrace of Donald Trumps most fringe election conspiracy theories, its clear that Michigan needs to reelect Dana Nessel as AG.". Buhl, the former judge, had already been retired for six years when he began observing DePernos legal work because he was asked to serve as an expert witness in the Moffits malpractice suit. The problematic initial numbers were caused by human errors: Election workers' failure to update equipment after additions to the ballot. That happens all the time, and then things are resolved.. Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. Lansing Matt DePerno, who lost his bid for attorney general but has been a favorite of former President Donald Trump, announced Monday that he wants to be the Michigan Republican Party's . "Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one. Fill in the form below and we'll be in touch. A lawyer by trade, DePerno rose to political prominence challenging the 2020 presidential election results and spearheading a lawsuit over the vote in northern Michigan's Antrim County. She previously worked as an assistant prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. He cut his teeth as a tax attorney in southwest Michigan but eventually expanded his Portage-based practice. And he's not afraid of what has turned into, unfortunately, a convoluted judicial system., Bill Bailey, a real estate broker who DePerno is representing in the ongoing Antrim County election appeal, called him "one of the most honest, hardworking souls I truthfully have ever met.". I will issue bench warrants.". ", In an Oct. 1 interview, DePerno said if he's elected, he'll work to lower Michigan's crime rate and combat sex trafficking. Courser and DePerno unsuccessfully argued audio recordings that prompted Livengood's reporting in 2015 had been improperly edited. Maddock called DePerno and Secretary of State hopeful Kristina Karamo the strongest candidates to address the stolen 2020 election and push for a forensic audit of the states voting in that contest. And the GOP-controlled Michigan Senate Oversight Committee accused DePerno of spreading "misleading information and illogical conclusions.". A lawyer by trade, DePerno rose to political prominence challenging the 2020 presidential election results and spearheading a lawsuit over the vote in northern Michigan's Antrim County. Lena Epstein (University of Michigan Board of Regents) - $319,210. New York University School of Law Master of Laws (LL.M.) "That would be a privileged question.". The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. Instead, the Oversight Committee urged Nesselto investigate those who have been utilizing misleading and false information about Antrim County to raise money or publicity for their own ends.. Especially if the Judge has expressed a dislike for rapists., Kent County Circuit Court Judge Donald A. Johnston, who presided over the disqualification hearing, denied DePernos request to remove Dodge, and noted that, I dont know of any judges that have ever expressed a like for rapists.. A year later, with the fire reimbursement case seemingly resolved, DePerno presented the Moffits with a $109,879 check from their insurer $13,421 less than the original payment offered three years prior and a $137,779.38 bill for his legal services, according to the malpractice lawsuit. Recently, in an election of national significance, a Donald Trump-backed candidate was easily bested in his quest to lead the Michigan Republican Party, a state considered pivotal for control of both the Senate and the presidency in 2024. Industrious Republican. Trump, who has touted DePerno's legal efforts, endorsed him to be Michigan's attorney general on Sept. 16, 2021. I've always proven that I don't back down from anyone, he said. "Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. And when DePerno asked her to enter the room to notarize mortgage documents, the secretary said it was clear Cathy Moffit had been crying and did not want to sign the papers. Published reports say Nessel's office is asking that a special prosecutor investigate whether the Republican candidate for state attorney general, Matt DePerno, and others should be charged in . Kallman had hoped Greenlee would pull out an upset. from the New York University School of Law. She has repeatedly made unproven and false claims about Michigan's voting system. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. Michiganders deserve more from their elected officials, and as American Citizens, our constitutional right to ensure fair, free, and secure elections. Trump had also endorsed DePerno in that . DePerno has also said he supports and would enforce the states 1931 ban on abortion. At issue was DePernos effort to remove Cass County Judge Michael Dodge from the case, arguing the judge could not be impartial because he owned property on a separate lake. Perry Johnson (Governor) - $270,000. Ultimately, I collected the fees that were due to me, DePerno told Bridge. But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. DePerno has also represented George Dernis, an Illinois businessman who's been in a years-long legal battle involving property in Michigan. Democratic President Joe Biden beat Trump by 154,188 votes in Michigan. As he's campaigned for attorney general, DePerno vowed to "investigate and prosecute Gov. Guy's office sent the official numbers to the Bureau of Elections at 6:35 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2020. . 500 Terry Francois St. SF, CA 94158. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890. DePerno was fired from one law firm, fought over client records after leaving a second firm and was accused of assaulting a client amid a fee dispute, according to court documents and transcripts reviewed by Bridge. If Matthew DePerno wins his race to unseat Michigan's Democratic attorney general in November, he'll become the state's top lawyer. "The sanction award far exceeds the petitioners' ability to pay," Baker wrote in a filing on Jan. 9, 2020. 0:57. Matthew DePerno is an attorney who serves clients worldwide from his office in Kalamazoo Michigan, USA. Democratic Gov. He also has a big fan inside the Michigan Republican Party: co-chair Meshawn Maddock, who endorsed him earlier this month, an unusual move considering the party traditionally is expected to stay out of contested convention races. Critics of Karamo questioned her ability to unite the party, raise money and her history of spreading unfounded conspiracy theories involving elections, porn and yoga. Two attorneys quit, saying they could not represent DePerno without violating the canons of ethics. So DePerno represented himself, an unorthodox move the liability insurer asked a court to stop before also agreeing to a settlement with DePerno. "I don't have a bad word to say about him, and other than people he grew up with and has been around his whole life, I probably got to know him better than anybody since the November election," Bailey said. DePerno got his law degree at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1994. Experts say there isno credible evidenceof fraud in Antrim County, and a hand recount of paper ballots later confirmed the official results showing Trump won the area with 61 percent of the vote, just shy of his 62 percent showing in 2016. 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Aug. 15:Report: Trump allies sought election data in Antrim, Wayne countiesApril 23:Michigan GOP endorses Trump favorites DePerno, Karamo at conventionApril 21:DePerno loses another bid for Antrim County audit as court dismisses appealApril 12:Trump favorite Matt DePerno back in court, seeks another Antrim County audit. "We tried to plot our strategy that way. DePerno denied many of the accusations but eventually negotiated a settlement with the Moffits, whose attorney declined to discuss terms of the deal. "Dana Nessel, the Radical Left, and the RINOs (Republicans in name only) are targeting Matt because he gets results and has exposed so much voter fraud in Antrim County, and many more places, in the 2020 election," Trump said at the time. Forton endorsed Karamo before the first round of voting. In 2016, Buhl filed a request asking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. Samantha DePerno, 19, began her sophomore year at MSU this past Fall, 2021. Matthew DePerno (Attorney General) - $771,799. On Nov. 8, voters will decide whether to put him in the attorney general's office. Email. Confused, concerned and ultimately outraged that DePerno was charging them nearly $140,000 after losing them $13,000, Ronald Moffit said he confronted DePerno over the legal bill, which led to what the couples attorney would later call battery and assault by DePerno. Dodge has since retired and told Bridge Michigan he did not remember the dispute well. The secret to a good campaign is to peak at the right time," Greenlee said. Vote DePerno. Asked about his candidate's changing financial status, Shepard said DePerno's law firm attracted a lot of new business during the period after early 2020 partly because of restrictions Gov. DePerno had represented an older couple Ronald and Cathleen Moffit whose home burned down in 2011. But Democrats have slammed his continued unproven claims about fraud in the 2020 election. "Him and I had discussions as to whether I should run," DePerno said. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. He fights the fight for the little guy, and for the good guy. Matthew has published 21 legal reports based on his findings from the forensic audit. 62. DePerno, speaking with Bridge, called the assault allegation an outrageous attempt by the Moffits to avoid paying their legal bills. Kari Lake, a champion for election integrity and the America First Movement, has officially endorsed Matt DePerno for MI GOP Chairman. His clients included former state Rep. Todd Courser, a Lapeer area Republican who was accused of misusing taxpayer dollars to cover up an affair, and Tim Rugg, an Ann Arbor firefighter who challenged the city's COVID-19 vaccine policy. Natalie DePerno, 23, graduated with an accounting degree from MSU. Aug 7 (Reuters) - The Republican nominee for Michigan attorney general led a team that gained unauthorized access to voting equipment while hunting for evidence to support former President. Especially if the Judge has expressed a dislike for rapists., Kent County Circuit Court Judge Donald A. Johnston, who presided over the disqualification hearing, denied DePernos request to remove Dodge, and noted that, "I don't know of any judges that have ever expressed a like for rapists.. DePerno and the firm eventually reached a settlement the terms of which were not available in court documents. In another suit, the Michigan Court of Appeals dismissed a DePerno request to disqualify a judge from a lawsuit involving lakefront property easement, and highlighted an unusual comparison DePerno had made in a 2015 court hearing. An incumbent attorney general hasn't lost reelection in Michigan since 1954. Matthew has been attacked many times from elected officials, including current Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, but he has not backed down. Michigan GOP precinct delegates will vote to endorse a candidate at an April 23 convention that will decide the partys de facto nominee to take on Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel in November. Who's in, out of race? The probe is completely ridiculous and part of the reason DePerno decided to run for attorney general, he told Bridge, likening it totalitarianism since Nessels office battled him as opposing counsel in the Antrim County case. Karamo lost to Benson by 14 percentage points. DePerno called Buhls accusations total nonsense and told Bridge the matter was ultimately dismissed by the grievance commission, as it should be., While Buhl said the professional code of conduct for attorneys prohibits him from revealing results of the grievance commission investigation, he called DePernos characterization of dismissal the farthest thing from the truth.. In a related case, involving a malpractice claim against DePerno, he argued the Kreis Enderle firm invented a claim of misconduct to deny him state unemployment benefits. He picked the fight and then billed them $130,000. Weve been there for you with daily Michigan COVID-19 news; reporting on the emergence of the virus, daily numbers with our tracker and dashboard, exploding unemployment, and we finally were able to report on mass vaccine distribution. In August, Nessel sought a special prosecutor to consider charges against DePerno and eight others over an alleged conspiracy to gain improper access to voting machines. "The Republican Party is now pretty well cemented as the party of election denying, conspiracy theories, tin hats and supporting Capitol riots," Miller said. Trump's campaign lawyer, Christina Bobb, worked with DePerno on the convention floor. I think its extremely problematic, Truscott told Bridge Michigan. He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. Some Republicans,including political strategist John Yob, now view DePerno as their best hope to win one of Michigan's top three offices on Election Day. DePerno was fired from one law firm, fought over client records after leaving a second firm and was accused of assaulting a client amid a fee dispute, according to court documents and transcripts reviewed by Bridge. If a person does not appear and the bench warrant is issued, that means should that person be stopped while driving or anything like that, it will show up on the polices system," Dallo said of what would lead to an arrest. As attorney general, youre the states chief law enforcement officer. Glaser of Cass County, Michael Farage of Grand Rapids Scott Aughney of Jackson County, Kent Boersma of Muskegon County and Drew Born of Kent County. The probe is completely ridiculous and part of the reason DePerno decided to run for attorney general, he told Bridge, likening it "totalitarianism" since Nessel's office battled him as opposing counsel in the Antrim County case. He argued Michigan needed "the guidance of a fighter. Rigas described DePerno as the person who can unite the party. Whitmer" for her nursing home policies. For the 53-year-old attorney's detractors, he's a threat to democracy with a questionable professional record that includes an ongoing state criminal investigation into a scheme to access voting tabulators. ", I have been told by our elected officials to stop talking about this issue," DePerno said of the last presidential election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden in Michigan by 3 percentage points or 154,000 votes. Consumers Energy, Manchester Market partner for free community breakfast, Career partnerships expand within Manchester school district, Dance Masters of Michigan attend solo title event competition, Village establishes change of use ordinance, Environmental incentives to conservation easements: Residents learn about land management & preservation, reflecting the community of Manchester since 2013.
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