Whitmer" for her nursing home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, called for increased transparency standards for state government and voiced opposition to abortion. Kallman declined to detail the issues. Greenlee, who's worked in politics for more than three decades, appeared to be gaining some level of support on Saturday. 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. "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. It just screams out: This is why people hate lawyers. We dont need this in our profession.. 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. 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. 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. DePerno also has fiercely loyal supporters who defend his legal work, including clients, who contend hed make a strong attorney general. 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 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. DePerno filed a lawsuit on behalf of Antrim County resident Bill Bailey, and he and his supporters claimed, without evidence, the problems were because of the technology itself. $400,000 for an Election Fraud Defense Fund in 2020, and critics have urged him to disclose what he did with that money. (Bridge photo by Jonathan Oosting). He will have a staff of more than 500 people, and his . ", 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. 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. 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. He cut his teeth as a tax attorney in southwest Michigan but eventually expanded his Portage-based practice. From beginning to end, the problem is you.. As DePerno worked on the 2020 election, his law office's website linked to a fundraising page that brought in nearly $400,000. 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. . "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. 2023 FOX Television Stations, The heaviest snow is behind us heading into the weekend, Snow storm shuts down Detroit Metro Airport, Power outages hit Metro Detroit hard as winter storm pounds area, WATCH - Jennifer Hammond talks with Detroit Titans guard Antoine Davis after coming up just short of the NCAA all-time scoring record, Southeast Michigan weather: The latest totals and what to expect tonight, Dead woman found tied up, wrapped in tarp in abandoned Monroe County building, sources say, Disneyland banned Rebel Wilson over selfie, actress says, Winter storm leaves 205k DTE customers without power, dry and mild weekend ahead, MSP: Driver of crashed car fatally struck on I-96, at-fault driver without license. DePerno lost the 2022 attorney general election to incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel by nearly nine points. "We need somebody who will go in there and stand up for the little guy," Carra said. More:As Michigan AG race narrows, Nessel's comments, cases take center stage. He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused "extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.". All (DePerno) was interested in was generating fees for himself and protecting his way to collect it, Buhl said. Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one.. 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 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. The grievance commission can also privately admonish an attorney or place them on contractual probation, but those lighter punishments are not made public. A judge rejected the litigation, saying her claims were "unsubstantiated" or misinterpreted Michigan election law. But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. from the New York University School of Law. UP First. While the Kries Enderle law firm and DePerno both declined to discuss his contentious departure given their confidential settlement agreement, DePerno downplayed the acrimonious split in general terms. Longtime GOP mega-donor Ron Weiser, a wealthy Ann Arbor businessman, opted against seeking another term as party chairman. Where Michigan attorney general foes Dana Nessel and Matthew DePerno stand. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. DePerno received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a J.D. The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. The warrant was recalled when DePerno and The News reached a $20,000 settlement in May 2021. Whitmer" for her nursing home policies. 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. However, Shepard said DePerno wants to fix "the outdated and confusing" law, which dates to the 1840s. Nov 2. Democratic President Joe Biden beat Trump by 154,188 votes in Michigan. 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. 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. After leaving that role, she opened her own law firm. "Petitioners have also have been in direct contact with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department to resolve the bench warrants.". The News asked DePerno and Nessel to release their most recent tax returns. DePerno is well-known and well-liked by many clients, but his legal career has been marked by some discord. 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." All (DePerno) was interested in was generating fees for himself and protecting his way to collect it, Buhl said. I've taken on tough cases. 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. 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. But Greene's organization changed course and endorsed DePerno earlier this month. 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. 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. The ProAssurance Casualty Company alleged DePerno made unreasonable demands of attorneys they had hired to represent him in the Moffits malpractice suit. Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. "I can't answer that question," the lawyer said. Email. 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.. "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.". Republican activists across Michigan will soon gather to select the next leader of the Michigan GOP.The decision will help decide the future of the Republican Party after a midterm election that . Lawyers for The News attempted to collect the money from DePerno but said in court documents that DePerno transferred his interest in a 2015 Ford Flex and 2012 Ford Focus to his wife, Laura, "with actual intent to hinder, delay and/or defraud The News from collecting the amount awarded." DePerno is willing to take on "the status quo of corruption," Carra said. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. Nessel joked about a "drag queen for every school" during an event in June. LaBrant labeled DePerno a "fool" with a "checkered past.". Could that Judge then rule on rape cases, or would that create a bias for the Judge? A vote for Matt is a vote for your civil liberties! 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. "So a police officer will be able to see on their laptop that theres a bench warrant for this person.. 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.". 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. Primary Election is August 2nd, 2022. 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. Matthew DePerno, the Republican nominee for attorney general in Michigan who has made a name for himself by pushing lies about the 2020 election and by becoming the target of an investigation into whether he illegally tampered with voting machines is spending the final stretch of his campaign spouting new falsehoods about supposed election crimes. 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. The Antrim County case made DePerno a national figure in Trumps campaign to overturn the election but prompted criticism from a Republican-led Michigan Senate panel that accused him of making false claims for personal profit, echoing allegations that marred DePernos legal career nearly two decades earlier. State Rep. Ryan Berman is also running. DePerno lost to Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel by 9 percentage points in November. Matt DePerno, an attorney general candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued the firm over his firing and denied the allegations in court. 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. 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. "He will never give up, and thats why they absolutely cannot stand him.". Matthew DePerno (Attorney General) - $771,799. He went on to repeatedly appear in Antrim County court to challenge the November 2020 election results while the warrant was in place. DePerno has clashed frequently with Republicans who have stressed the need to move on from the 2020 election. Thus began another unexpected legal fight, as the Moffits hired a new attorney to stop the foreclosure sale and sue DePerno for legal malpractice, alleging he fought their insurer without their consent, overbilled and padded billings, including a $13,000 charge to reassemble their case file after DePerno parted ways with his law firm at the time, Veritas Group. Perry Johnson (Governor) - $270,000. His wife, Laura, is a registered nurse and has experience in medical/surgical, transplant, cardiology, outpatient oncology, and trauma critical care. He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. 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. It takes working together to restore this great state. Matthew DePerno is an attorney who serves clients worldwide from his office in Kalamazoo Michigan, USA. According to unofficial results, Nessel leads DePerno by 300,000 votes - about 7 points. 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. Leave us a message. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. 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. 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. After realizing there were problems with the numbers, Antrim County Clerk Sheryl Guy's office canvassed the election results and reported official numbers. 469 views. said DePerno's "skeletons have skeletons. 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. All rights reserved. ", We're not just a news organization, we're also your neighbors. But court records show law firm colleagues confronted DePerno in October 2005 and presented him with evidence detailed in a confidential memo included in public filings, along with 190 pages of internal billing documents. "I have been told to stop talking about America first values. DePerno is best known for defending former state Rep. Todd Courser after a 2015 sex scandal cover up and challenging Antrim County election results in a failed lawsuit that spawned ongoing conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. 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. Matt attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. We report because the news impacts all of us. The two have been married for over 26 years and raised three children together. (Bridge photo by Jonathan Oosting). "We look forward to having a Republican Party that shows Michiganders that were here to serve. A court filing showed the bench warrant was stamped "canceled" on May 6, 2021. 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. In May 2021, a local judge blocked DePerno's push for an "independent and nonpartisan forensic audit" in Antrim County. In early August, Nessel sought a special prosecutor to consider potential charges against DePerno and eight others because of an alleged "conspiracy" to gain improper access to voting machines in Michigan. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. In a recent letter to Michigan GOP precinct delegates, Trump called DePerno an "incredible attorney" who "led the charge in calling out obvious voter fraud by suing over the election in Antrim County, where an error by the Republican clerk skewed initial results in favor of Democrat Joe Biden but was quickly corrected.