All (DePerno) was interested in was generating fees for himself and protecting his way to collect it, Buhl said. ", Eric Castiglia, chairman of the Republican Party of Macomb County, said DePerno is gaining steam politically because of his focus on the "rule of law.". Will you please support our nonprofit newsroom? Michigan GOP delegates chose ex-President Donald Trump's candidates for attorney general, Matthew DePerno, and secretary of state, Kristina Karamo. 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. You must be logged in to post a comment Kallman had hoped Greenlee would pull out an upset. Some Michigan Republicans say they are . ", 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. The News eventually sued Laura DePerno in Kalamazoo County court, and Matt DePerno challenged the Washtenaw County court's ruling in the state Court of Appeals. The Michigan Advance was one of the outlets denied media credentials to cover . . He cut his teeth as a tax attorney in southwest Michigan but eventually expanded his Portage-based practice. Sponsor His work on an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging 2020 results in Antrim County put him on the front lines of Trumps attempt to overturn the election, and litigation involving that effort continues. Taxation 1994-95 University of Detroit Mercy School of Law "So a police officer will be able to see on their laptop that theres a bench warrant for this person.. That happens all the time, and then things are resolved.. DePerno who has pushed former President Donald Trump's false claims of widespread election fraud has slammed the probe, which is now led by a special prosecutor. 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. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, and an LL.M. 2023 Bridge Michigan. 500 Terry Francois St. SF, CA 94158. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890. "Weve watched the Attorney Generals office and some of the positions theyve taken, and theyve been more political than legal," Greene said of Nessel's office. He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused "extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.". About. If you cant abide by the laws and the rules, how do you have the moral authority to prosecute criminals?. 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 told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. Greenlee, who's worked in politics for more than three decades, appeared to be gaining some level of support on Saturday. 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. 2 min read. As he's campaigned for attorney general, DePerno vowed to "investigate and prosecute Gov. Since then, he's become a favorite among Michigan Republican delegates, and he helped negotiate a deal to delay feuding between party factions at an August convention. A court filing showed the bench warrant was stamped "canceled" on May 6, 2021. On. A judge rejected the litigation, saying her claims were "unsubstantiated" or misinterpreted Michigan election law. In order to win the chair position, a candidate had to receive more than 50% support. "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. On Feb. 6, 2020, Connors signed a bench warrant for DePerno's arrest and for him to be brought before the court "immediately" for failure to appear, according to a document. "Were going to win.. Hilson, hasn't yet announced a decision. ", "If it wasn't for Matt, we'd be out on the streets," Dernis told Bridge. Maddock and Weiser had formed a tenuous alliance leading Michigan Republicans for the last two years. In at least one instance, DePerno admitted that he falsified billing to a clients account, the law firms attorney said in a court filing. from the New York University School of Law. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, who resigned from the state House after he attempted to cover up an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker, told the Lansing publication Gongwer News Service that he had spoken with a sheriff. The problematic initial numbers were caused by human errors: Election workers' failure to update equipment after additions to the ballot. 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. In May 2021, a local judge blocked DePerno's push for an "independent and nonpartisan forensic audit" in Antrim County. An incumbent attorney general hasn't lost reelection in Michigan since 1954. The sides eventually settled out of court in 2008. 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. Login. Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel, whom DePerno is hoping to unseat, and her supporters have made DePerno's efforts to undermine the 2020 presidential election and the uncertainties surrounding his finances key issues in the race to be the state's chief law enforcement officer. "I've been doing this for 25 years," DePerno said of his legal background. Kari Lake, a champion for election integrity and the America First Movement, has officially endorsed Matt DePerno for MI GOP Chairman. He has a wife and three children. Matt DePerno has earned the endorsement of the Michigan Republican Party to take on incumbent Democrat Dana Nessel in November. Trump's backing helped DePerno win a three-way race at an April convention for the party's attorney general nomination. Matthew DePerno is an attorney who serves clients worldwide from his office in Kalamazoo Michigan, USA. After practicing law for a decade as a law firm partner, Matt opened the doors of his own practice, DePerno Law, PLLC, in 2005, where he has since been ardently defending Americans constitutional rights. Email. 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. DePernos biggest claim to fame has been his efforts to find evidence that fraud cost Trump the election. DePerno has never been publicly disciplined by the state, according to records from the Attorney Discipline Board. 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. Matt is a native of Michigan and has been a Kalamazoo resident with his wife, Laura, since 1994 after receiving his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy. 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. 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.. 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. We're not just a news organization, we're also your neighbors. Former state Rep. Aaron Miller, a Republican from Sturgis, said Karamo's victory indicated some Michigan Republicans want to keep losing elections. Democratic Gov. Ive always proven that I dont back down from anyone, he said. DePerno wasn't 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. 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 skyrocketed to fame in conservative circles in the aftermath of the 2020 election, alleging voting machines were compromised because unofficial results were skewed toward President Joe Biden before they were corrected. I have fought to try to vindicate President Trump when no one else would., Doing the right thing doesnt always make you popular," DePerno added moments later. I have always supported Matt DePerno, said state Rep. Angela Rigas, R-Caledonia, as she entered the convention on Saturday. 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.. Tyson Shepard, DePerno's campaign manager, said the candidate would enforce the state's 1931 abortion ban, which prohibits the termination of any pregnancy except if necessary to preserve the life of the mother because it's the policy on the books. 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. The ProAssurance Casualty Company alleged DePerno made unreasonable demands of attorneys they had hired to represent him in the Moffits malpractice suit. But the litigation created four volumes of records at the Kalamazoo County clerk's office. "Some attorneys are more challenging than others," Dodge said in an email. 469 views. ", 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. 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. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. If Matthew DePerno wins his race to unseat Michigan's Democratic attorney general in November, he'll become the state's top lawyer. Guy's office sent the official numbers to the Bureau of Elections at 6:35 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2020. "The Republican Party is now pretty well cemented as the party of election denying, conspiracy theories, tin hats and supporting Capitol riots," Miller said. DePerno lost the 2022 attorney general election to incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel by nearly nine points. 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. "And I have had people approach me across the state, and they've asked me, 'Where did that money go?'". DePerno and state Rep. Daire Rendon, R-Lake City, were part of a group accused of "gain(ing) unauthorized access and compromised tabulators" in Roscommon County, Richfield Township, Lake Township and Irving Township between March and June of 2021, state attorneys allege. The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. We are honored to have Kari's support in this race, check out the full endorsement! 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. In August 2022, Reuters reported that presumptive Republican nominee Matthew DePerno "led a team that gained unauthorized access to voting equipment while hunting for evidence to support former President Donald Trump's false election-fraud claims" following the 2020 election. DePerno is willing to take on "the status quo of corruption," Carra said. DePerno is well-known and well-liked by many clients, but his legal career has been marked by some discord. 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. "Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one. 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. Repeating the Big Lie is dangerous and presents a very serious threat to our democracy," said Lavora Barnes, chairwoman of the Michigan Democrat Party, in April. I just think this guy is going to be looking for election fraud under rocks," LaBrant said. Beginningin June 1995, he practiced at Kreis, Enderle, Callander & Hudgins, 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. Greenlee advanced to the second round of voting ahead of other contenders Tuscola County GOP Chairman Billy Putman, J.D. 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. For months, Matthew has tried to take his findings to the Michigan Legislature, asking for their support in demanding a Statewide full forensic audit, to no avail. Trump had also endorsed DePerno in that . Democratic President Joe Biden beat Trump by 154,188 votes in Michigan. ", We're not just a news organization, we're also your neighbors. In 2016, Buhlfiled a requestasking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. The March 12, 2020, hearing was eventually canceled, according to court records. 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. It just screams out: This is why people hate lawyers. We dont need this in our profession.. "I can't answer that question," the lawyer said. 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.
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