About. But some Republicans were concerned about DePerno's track record. He fights the fight for the little guy, and for the good guy. 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. DePerno committed fraud, deceit and dishonesty with regards to bogus billing, duplicate billing and write offs, in addition to other wrongful acts, his former law firm Kreis, Enderle, Calendar and Hudgins PC alleged in a 2006 legal filing. "Petitioners have also have been in direct contact with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department to resolve the bench warrants.". In a Michigan Court of Appeals filing, DePerno accused lawyers for The News of telling him before the Feb. 6, 2020, hearing that it had been adjourned. "The tremendous GOP grassroots enthusiasm for DePerno combined with Nessel trying to shut down Line 5 and talking about a drag queen in every classroom gives DePerno the best chance to win of any Republican on the statewide ticket," said Yob, who previously advised the lawyer's campaign. Karamo was elected as party chairwoman last month, defeating 10 other candidates including Trump-backed former attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno. The Moffits never filed a criminal complaint. KALAMAZOOA Republican running to be Michigans top law enforcement official was fired from a law firm in 2005 after colleagues alleged he padded client billings for personal and professional benefit, according to court records reviewed by Bridge Michigan. I have always supported Matt DePerno, said state Rep. Angela Rigas, R-Caledonia, as she entered the convention on Saturday. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. The billing allegations could be a disqualifying factor for DePerno as a candidate, said John Truscott, a Republican public relations professional who served as press secretary under former Gov. Where Michigan attorney general foes Dana Nessel and Matthew DePerno stand. 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. (Bridge photo by Jonathan Oosting). Anthony DePerno, 21, is majoring in Supply Chain Management at MSU and is expected to graduate this Spring, 2022. Before the 2020 campaign, DePerno was most known for representing Courser, a Lapeer area Republican who resigned from the state House after he attempted to cover up an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker, and for challenging election results in northern Michigan's Antrim County. 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.. Who's in, out of race? Some attorneys are more challenging than others, Dodge said in an email. We report because the news impacts all of us. She said in her victory speech she plans to move the state forward over the next four years. 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. Michiganders deserve more from their elected officials, and as American Citizens, our constitutional right to ensure fair, free, and secure elections. "Someone had to step up and take charge of what was happening. State Rep. Ryan Berman is also running. Buhl, the retired judge who had prepared to serve as an expert witness for the Moffits legal defense team, asked the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno in 2016. Not authorized by any candidate. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. See also: Michigan Attorney General election, 2022 ", 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. Matthew DePerno was born in Warren and raised in Troy, Michigan. But six days after the Moffits refused to pay his fees, DePerno took action to try and collect: He began foreclosure proceedings to sell the Moffits new home and the land where their old home had burned down, according to court filings. In an interview Tuesday, DePerno told Bridge he and colleagues had a dispute on where the firm was going but resolved the case with mutual satisfaction. He declined to discuss specific allegations, citing the secrecy agreement. They've raised concerns about Dominion Voting Systems, the equipment used in Antrim County. Ive taken on tough cases. Matt DePerno: Liar, Liar Pants on Fire From Plan B to the 2020 Elections, DePerno continues to lie his way through this election LANSING The Michigan Democratic Party today denounced statements made by GOP attorney general candidate Matt DePerno regarding his alleged involvement in a plot to illegally access voting tabulation machines. 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. Trump has thrown significant political weight behind DePerno, endorsing him, speaking on his behalf at aMar-A-Lago fundraiserand announcing plans to stump for him and other endorsed candidates at aMichigan rally on April 2. He 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 Michigan, DePerno is one of nine people who were investigated by Nessel's office for an. I think were going to focus on local issues, Wilk said. 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. "There is currently a hearing scheduled for March 12, 2020, at which time petitioners will presumably be arrested pursuant to the bench warrants," DePerno wrote. "Although we didn't emerge victorious tonight, I believe we sent a strong message to Lansing. 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. DePerno, speaking with Bridge, called the assault allegation an outrageous attempt by the Moffits to avoid paying their legal bills. 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. 2023 Bridge Michigan. Karamo, DePerno and Lansing political consultant Scott Greenlee were initially the top three vote-getters in what was a nine-person race at the start of the convention Saturday morning in downtown Lansing. Subject. 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. 0:57. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. DePerno also has fiercely loyal supporters who defend his legal work, including clients, who contend hed make a strong attorney general. DePerno is a leading advocate for a forensic audit of the 2020 election. And in a new sign of former President Donald Trump's diminishing influence, the women beat the Trump-endorsed ticket of Matt DePerno and Garrett Soldano to replace MAGA loyalist Meshawn Maddock and establishment fundraiser Ron Weiser. Nessel campaign spokeswoman Sarah Stevenson said the incumbent would provide hers if DePerno provided his. It was also in place as DePerno met on Jan. 6, 2021, with staff for then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the election, a convening he has acknowledged on a Republican group's candidate questionnaire. Trump's campaign lawyer, Christina Bobb, worked with DePerno on the convention floor. The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. 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. He also represented former state Rep. Todd Courser in a sex scandal cover-up case, which ended with Courser. "The Republican Party is now pretty well cemented as the party of election denying, conspiracy theories, tin hats and supporting Capitol riots," Miller said. "Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one. Nessel's office began its investigation in February, before DePerno was her opponent. "That would be a privileged question.". Matt DePerno concedes Michigan AG race to Dana Nessel Published November 9, 2022 2022 Midterm Elections FOX 2 Detroit Whitmer's victory speech: Michigan is about to 'step on the. His experience and record of success has benefited individuals, small business, and multi-national corporations. Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one.. DePerno had represented an older couple Ronald and Cathleen Moffit whose home burned down in 2011. UP First. "And I have had people approach me across the state, and they've asked me, 'Where did that money go?'". 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 . Ive always proven that I dont back down from anyone, he said. The warrant was in place as DePerno led high-profile litigation in the weeks after the November 2020 presidential election to challenge the results in northern Michigan's Antrim County. DePerno is willing to take on "the status quo of corruption," Carra said. A secretary at DePernos second law firm the Veritas Group said in a sworn affidavit that she had heard yelling from the conference room as he met with the Moffits. 62. People get into disputes and they say things about each other in litigation, he told Bridge in a phone interview. 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. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. The numbers became jumbled during the communication of the unofficial results to the county's election management system. ", "If it wasn't for Matt, we'd be out on the streets," Dernis told Bridge. He picked the fight and then billed them $130,000. Trump had also endorsed DePerno in that . 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. Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. In a Feb. 26, 2020, filing in the Court of Appeals, DePerno addressed the warrants facing him and his client. Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. That happens all the time, and then things are resolved.. If you cant abide by the laws and the rules, how do you have the moral authority to prosecute criminals?. 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. However, Shepard said DePerno wants to fix "the outdated and confusing" law, which dates to the 1840s. The parties later settled for $20,000, which Detroit News publisher and editor Gary Miles called a message that frivolous lawsuits against news organizations for performing their duties under the First Amendment will not be taken lightly.. They need to see a party actually advocating for the values we espouse. DePerno had represented an older couple Ronald and Cathleen Moffit whose home burned down in 2011. In a statement, Tyson Shepard, DePerno's campaign manager, said the campaign is focused on issues affecting people across Michigan instead of "washed-out stories from years and years ago.". "We tried to plot our strategy that way. Dernis labeled DePerno a person of integrity. On Dec. 18, Karamo released a vision for the party that included converting "'GOP-phobic youth' by transitioning schools from indoctrination to education," giving "precinct delegates control over the party" and holding Republican elected officials "accountable to using the Constitution as their measure for governing.". Login. Miller called it a sad day for the GOP. Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel, a lawyer from Plymouth, Before Matt DePerno launched a bid for attorney general, he cleared up an arrest warrant, As Michigan AG race narrows, Nessel's comments, cases take center stage. "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, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. The billing allegations could be a disqualifying factor for DePerno as a candidate, said John Truscott, a Republican public relations professional who served as press secretary under former Gov. DePerno, who had worked with the Moffits on tax issues in the past, allegedly convinced the couple he could negotiate with the IRS. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. DePerno later sued the law firm, claiming breach of contract and oppression of a minority shareholder. The grievance commission, the investigative arm of the Michigan Supreme Court, only makes its findings public if it authorizes formal charges against a lawyer with the state Attorney Discipline Board, which it did not do for DePerno. "Thats what I am counting on, Greene said. Their insurance company initially offered to pay them $123,360 for personal property losses and living expenses but asked a judge to determine whether another $80,000 should go to the Moffits or the IRS, whom they owed money to, according to court filings. After leaving that role, she opened her own law firm. Feb 10 Don't miss our Pre-Convention Rally with President Donald Trump THIS MONDAY! A judge rejected the litigation, saying her claims were "unsubstantiated" or misinterpreted Michigan election law. Civil rights issues are a main focus of Nessel's, and she founded the Fair Michigan Foundation. In recent weeks, DePerno has campaigned on strengthening parents' rights and showed up at a contentious Dearborn school board meeting over books in a school library with sexual or violent content to speak on the issue. 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. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. Matt DePerno, a Republican candidate for Michigan attorney general, has appeared at Capitol rallies calling for a forensic audit of the 2020 presidential election. 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 . More:The DePerno 9: Outspoken election critics tied to Michigan tabulator 'conspiracy'. As recently as last month, he criticized the GOP-led Legislature for failing to. The March 12, 2020, hearing was eventually canceled, according to court records. Trump's backing helped DePerno win a three-way race at an April convention for the party's attorney general nomination. "Matthew DePerno showed up the day after the election, using our president's name, taking nearly $400,000 from every one of you," Leonard said during a debate in Oakland County. While the case was ultimately settled, what he saw in pre-trial hearings was abhorrent, Buhl told Bridge Michigan. The grievance commission can also privately admonish an attorney or place them on contractual probation, but those lighter punishments are not made public. Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Timothy Connors signed a warrant in February 2020 for DePerno's arrest after he failed to appear for a creditor's exam in an unsuccessful defamation case brought by his client, former state Rep. Todd Courser, against The Detroit News. Trump, who has touted DePerno's legal efforts, endorsed him to be Michigan's attorney general on Sept. 16, 2021. Ultimately, I collected the fees that were due to me, DePerno told Bridge. Some of DePerno's arguments became the basis for election deniers across the country, LaBrant said. 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. Vote Karamo. Matt DePerno has earned the endorsement of the Michigan Republican Party to take on incumbent Democrat Dana Nessel in November. He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.. Natalie DePerno, 23, graduated with an accounting degree from MSU. As a tax attorney who worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties, his legal career has been marked by discord. Matthew has been fighting against tyranny in Michigan for many years, including protesting across the state against Whitmer and Nessel's unconstitutional mask mandates, school and business lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and critical race theory. Karamo defeated unsuccessful GOP attorney general candidate Matt DePerno of Kalamazoo, a fellow election denier who was endorsed in the party chair race by Trump. DePerno refused. She was speaking out against "fake issues" that she said were dividing people. Regardless, voters should trust him to run the states largest and most powerful law firm the attorney generals office because he is a fighter, DePerno said. She has repeatedly made unproven and false claims about Michigan's voting system. It just screams out: This is why people hate lawyers. We dont need this in our profession.. Whitmer" for her nursing home policies. People need to see a competent party, Karamo said. George Dernis, who DePerno has represented in a nearly eight-year legal battle over foreclosure of Michigan properties he'd used as collateral to purchase a grocery store, said DePerno helped guide his family through "hell and back. He is currently representing an Ann Arbor firefighter who he said was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Greenlee, who's worked in politics for more than three decades, appeared to be gaining some level of support on Saturday. 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. DePerno wasnt paying attention in first grade when he was told how to behave himself, Magistrate Joseph Scoville said in announcing the sanctions at a May 2012 hearing, according to a transcript reviewed by Bridge. According to unofficial results, Nessel leads DePerno by 300,000 votes - about 7 points. The special prosecutor, D.J. Conservative lawyer David Kallman, whose office is based in Lansing, said DePerno has done things he doesn't agree with. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and an LL.M. Ann Arbor Republican Matt DePerno, who's asking voters to make him Michigan's top law enforcement official on Nov. 8, faced a bench warrant for his arrest about two months before he launched his campaign for attorney general, according to court records. 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While Nessel might be vulnerable, there remain questions two weeks before Election Day over whether DePerno was the right person to beat her and become the state's top law enforcement official. Matthew and his team captured forensic images of the Dominion Voting machines and conducted forensic analyses of those images to fully understand the errors and inconsistencies in the voting process and tabulation procedures prior to, during, and after the 2020 general election. It just screams out: This is why people hate lawyers. We dont need this in our profession.. The convention lasted about 11 hours with delegates battling over how the votes at the event would be counted and last-minute jockeying among the 10 candidates for party chair. Gretchen Whitmer imposed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Trump had actually won the county by 3,788 votes, 61%-37%, a 7,048-vote swing from the unofficial results. "Some attorneys are more challenging than others," Dodge said in an email. DePerno committed fraud, deceit and dishonesty with regards to bogus billing, duplicate billing and write offs, in addition to other wrongful acts, his former law firm Kreis, Enderle, Calendar and Hudgins PC alleged in a 2006 legal filing. I think were going to do local infrastructure and getting back to basics, the blocking and tackling of winning elections.". The COVID-19 pandemic hit Michigan weeks after the DePerno bench warrant was signed. Bob LaBrant, a longtime Republican lawyer who previously worked for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, said he cast his absentee ballot for Nessel this fall. Taxation 1994-95 University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Vote DePerno. At the end of 2020, DePerno began gaining national attention for challenging the election results in northern Michigan's Antrim County. In October 2019, Connors dismissed the case against The News "with prejudice" and ordered DePerno and Courser to pay The News $79,701 as a sanction, according to Washtenaw County court records. Courser and DePerno unsuccessfully argued audio recordings that prompted Livengood's reporting in 2015 had been improperly edited. Firm: Michigan AG hopeful Matt DePerno fired over padded, false billings, Campaign donors love a winner, dump Michigan GOP for Democrats after election, Turns out, young voters didnt sway 22 election in Michigan, records show, Basically broke, Michigan GOP to charge delegates to attend convention, Share the article you just read on Twitter, Share the article you just read on Facebook, Share the article you just read via email, Michigan stopped Ohio toxic waste last week, but we import waste every day, Democrats push Michigan gun reforms. CONTACT. 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. Matthew has been attacked many times from elected officials, including current Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, but he has not backed down. Paid for with regulated funds by End Citizens United Non-Federal MI. . But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. DePerno is considered a frontrunner for the Michigan Republican Partys nomination for attorney general, along with former state House Speaker Tom Leonard, the GOP nominee in 2018. He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. 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.. DePerno is a "workaholic" who goes to great lengths for his clients and is like an "encyclopedia" of law and the Constitution, Bailey told Bridge. ", called on DePerno to detail what happened with the money, sought a special prosecutor to consider potential charges against DePerno and eight others because of an alleged "conspiracy" to gain improper access, The DePerno 9: Outspoken election critics tied to Michigan tabulator 'conspiracy', a Democrat who was named the special prosecutor in September, endorsed him to be Michigan's attorney general on Sept. 16, 2021, vowed to "investigate and prosecute Gov. On Saturday morning, Macomb County Republican Chairman Mark Forton dropped out of the state chair race, leaving nine remaining candidates. Matthew Wilk of Northville said Republicans cant rely on the state party to do things the state GOP used to do. You can also contact us by using this form: First Name. During her speech before the first vote, Karamo touted her decision last year not to concede the secretary of state race to Benson in November and said the party's current leadership operated like a "political mafia." They dont make guys like him anymore. DePerno also transferred "his interest in the marital home" to his wife's trust for $1, according to the lawyers for The News. Those allegations, contained in never-before-reported documents out of Kalamazoo County Circuit Court, were only made public because DePerno sued the firm in an attempt to cash out his shares and transfer the lease on a company vehicle that was repossessed after his firing. 38th State Senate Candidate for Michigan. And DePerno later sued their attorney unsuccessfully for defamation. Forton said his decision was meant to ensure that a "grassroots-type" hopeful had a chance to win. DePerno has never been publicly disciplined by the state, according to records from the Attorney Discipline Board. 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. DePerno has also referred to Nessel, who is gay, as a groomer, which has drawn condemnation. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, DePerno rose to political prominence challenging the 2020 presidential election results, sought a special prosecutor to consider charges against DePerno. Matt and Laura have three wonderful children who are all current or former students at Michigan State University (MSU). Dodge has since retired and told Bridge Michigan he did not remember the dispute well.
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