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. Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. (@mdeperno) / Twitter 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. She has repeatedly made unproven and false claims about Michigan's voting system. But it leaves him running to. Longtime GOP mega-donor Ron Weiser, a wealthy Ann Arbor businessman, opted against seeking another term as party chairman. But his supporters see him as a tenacious champion who's willing to take up causes others have declined. 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. Former state Rep. Aaron Miller, a Republican from Sturgis, said Karamo's victory indicated some Michigan Republicans want to keep losing elections. But in the 32 months that followed, DePerno launched a campaign for attorney general, won the Republican Party's nomination and poured $130,000 of his own money into his bid, representing about 13% of his total fundraising. 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. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. Matthew DePerno is an attorney who serves clients worldwide from his office in Kalamazoo Michigan, USA. Another factor in his decision to run: Trump, who in July encouraged him to enter the race. State Rep. Ryan Berman is also running. "I think it's extremely problematic," Truscott told Bridge Michigan. He's challenging Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel, a lawyer from Plymouth, who has under-performed Democratic Gov. 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. He will have a staff of more than 500 people, and his . Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. 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. Election Integrity Based. 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. Democratic President Joe Biden beat Trump by 154,188 votes in Michigan. Conservative lawyer David Kallman, whose office is based in Lansing, said DePerno has done things he doesn't agree with. Matthew DePerno for Michigan (@deperno4mi) / Twitter But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. One of DePerno's Republican convention opponents in the spring, Leonard, called on DePerno to detail what happened with the money in March. Matt DePerno, an attorney general candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued the firm over his firing and denied the allegations in court. 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. As DePerno worked on the 2020 election, his law office's website linked to a fundraising page that brought in nearly $400,000. "We need somebody who will go in there and stand up for the little guy," Carra said. DePerno received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a J.D. 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. 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." 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. 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. A vote for Matt is a vote for your civil liberties! Samantha DePerno, 19, began her sophomore year at MSU this past Fall, 2021. The two have been married for over 26 years and raised three children together. Guy's office sent the official numbers to the Bureau of Elections at 6:35 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2020. Chaos And Conspiracies: 12 Hours At A GOP Convention That Handed Trump Develop A Candidate Recruitment Program through the Delegates, Play Offense Not Defense with the Democrats. 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. If you cant abide by the laws and the rules, how do you have the moral authority to prosecute criminals?. Could that Judge then rule on rape cases, or would that create a bias for the Judge? 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. Who's in, out of race? He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused "extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.". DePerno is well-known and well-liked by many clients, but his legal career has been marked by some discord. 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 lost the 2022 attorney general election to incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel by nearly nine points. Hilson, hasn't yet announced a decision. In 2016, Buhl filed a request asking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. Whitmer" for her nursing home policies. Some Michigan Republicans say they are . 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. He is currently representing anAnn Arbor firefighterwho he said was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Dana Nessel was joined alongside Ingham County Election Clerk Barb Byrum and state Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) for a live stream during the former president's rally in Macomb County Saturday night. Karamo's election as state party chair marks the first time in state history that both the Michigan Republican and Democratic parties are chaired by Black women. Nessel campaign spokeswoman Sarah Stevenson said the incumbent would provide hers if DePerno provided his. 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. Trump, who has touted DePerno's legal efforts, endorsed him to be Michigan's attorney general on Sept. 16, 2021. 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. Trump has thrown significant political weight behind DePerno, endorsing him, speaking on his behalf at a Mar-A-Lago fundraiser and announcing plans to stump for him and other endorsed candidates at a Michigan rally on April 2. Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one.. "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.". He fights the fight for the little guy, and for the good guy. 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, to whom they owed money, according to court filings. ", Karamo dismissed concerns about declining donations to the state party, saying thats going to change right away.. A Republican-led state Senate panel that spent months investigating the contest found no evidence of widespread fraud. It takes working together to restore this great state. I've taken on tough cases. Matt DePerno has been dodging questions about his personal finances for years, and this is one more reason why Michiganders cant trust him to be their next AG," said Emily Trifone, deputy communications director at the Democratic Attorneys General Association. 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. New York University School of Law Master of Laws (LL.M.) Kristina Karamo elected chair of Michigan Republican Party "Thats what I am counting on, Greene said. You can also contact us by using this form: First Name. Matthew DePerno: Trump-backed GOP candidate for Michigan AG under - CNN In 2016, Buhlfiled a requestasking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. Because of the conflict of interest of investigating him, Nessel sought the appointment of a special prosecutor to decide if charges are warranted. DePerno raised nearly $400,000 for an Election Fraud Defense Fund in 2020, and critics have urged him to disclose what he did with that money. John Engler. "Petitioners have also have been in direct contact with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department to resolve the bench warrants.". Michigan GOP delegates chose ex-President Donald Trump's candidates for attorney general, Matthew DePerno, and secretary of state, Kristina Karamo. Matt DePerno, an attorney general candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued the firm over his firing and denied the allegations in court. 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. He went on to repeatedly appear in Antrim County court to challenge the November 2020 election results while the warrant was in place. "That would be a privileged question.". Before the November election, she unsuccessfully sued and asked a judge to require residents of Detroit, Michigan's largest city, to vote in person or obtain their ballots in person at the clerk's office. 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. People get into disputes and they say things about each other in litigation, he told Bridge in a phone interview. "We tried to plot our strategy that way. While the case was ultimately settled, what he saw in pre-trial hearings was abhorrent, Buhl told Bridge Michigan. 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. 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 his sworn affidavit. But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. His experience and record of success has benefited individuals, small business, and multi-national corporations. Connors previously ordered DePerno and Courser to pay a sanction of $79,701. His wife, Laura, is a registered nurse and has experience in medical/surgical, transplant, cardiology, outpatient oncology, and trauma critical care. Trump's choice for the post, Matthew DePerno, had all the . And hes 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.. from New York University School of Law. 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. 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. After her election Saturday night, Karamo told The Detroit News her first priority as party chair is to grow the party with everyday residents and individuals in areas weve never penetrated, especially in urban America." DePerno later sued the law firm, claiming breach of contract and oppression of a minority shareholder. Will you please support our nonprofit newsroom? In order to win the chair position, a candidate had to receive more than 50% support. 2023 Bridge Michigan. I dont 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. His campaign website says he will "restore law and order" and "uphold the Constitution.". DePerno, who never held elected office, rode Trumps endorsement to win the Republican Party nomination over two candidates who have served in the Legislature. He picked the fight and then billed them $130,000. On. LaBrant labeled DePerno a "fool" with a "checkered past.". "Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. The warrant was recalled when DePerno and The News reached a $20,000 settlement in May 2021. We report because the news impacts all of us. Matthew Wilk of Northville said Republicans cant rely on the state party to do things the state GOP used to do. DePerno, who had worked with the Moffits on tax issues in the past, allegedly convinced the couple he could negotiate with the IRS. 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. Ironically, DePerno, who was a fierce opponent of the 2020 election results and consistently denied their outcome, conceded the race for attorney general prior to it being called by media outlets. Whitmer" for her nursing home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, called for increased transparency standards for state government and voiced opposition to abortion. Email. But the litigation created four volumes of records at the Kalamazoo County clerk's office. "He will never give up, and thats why they absolutely cannot stand him.". As a tax attorney who worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties, his legal career has been marked by discord. Democratic Gov. Karamo lost to Benson by 14 percentage points. Last Name. He also represented former state Rep. Todd Courser in a sex scandal cover-up case, which ended with Courser pleading no contest to willful neglect of duty by a public officer. 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. Nessel, the Democratic attorney general, later acknowledged that her office is investigating DePerno but said she recused herself from the probe given the political implications and will appoint a special counsel if charges are warranted. Karamo, who lost by 14 points to Democratic incumbent Jocelyn Benson in November, made the pitch to delegates that her refusal to concede was an asset. 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. 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. 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. "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. He picked the fight and then billed them $130,000. I think its extremely problematic, Truscott told Bridge Michigan. 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 comparisonDePerno had made in a 2015 court hearing. GOP attorney general nominee Matthew DePerno at a Macomb County Trump rally, Oct. 1, 2022 | Laina G. Stebbins. Kallman declined to detail the issues. State Rep. Steve Carra, R-Three Rivers, has been an outspoken DePerno supporter. Matthew has published 21 legal reports based on his findings from the forensic audit. DePerno, who'd filed a lawsuit on behalf of a local resident claiming voting-machine fraud in Antrim County, more than 200 miles to the north, sent the clerk a subpoena demanding access to her. Perry Johnson (Governor) - $270,000. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. According to unofficial results, Nessel leads DePerno by 300,000 votes - about 7 points. Before DePerno launched Michigan AG bid, he cleared up arrest warrant She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement. Then, on June 23, 2021, DePerno filed a motion to have the bench warrants set aside "nunc pro tunc," essentially meaning the cancellation should be retroactive to the day the warrants were issued in February 2020. 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. Natalie DePerno, 23, graduated with an accounting degree from MSU. In 2005, DePerno launched his own law firm in Kalamazoo County, where he's practiced tax and real estate law. He is currently representing an Ann Arbor firefighter who he said was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Other issues her campaign highlights includes consumer protection, protection for seniors, environmental protection, health care access, and robocall reductions. 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. I just think this guy is going to be looking for election fraud under rocks," LaBrant said. Show your unity and support today! The nomination wont be official until a separate August convention, but the early endorsement will allow a candidate to raise funds and campaign as the presumed nominee. Trump's campaign lawyer, Christina Bobb, worked with DePerno on the convention floor. ", While DePerno said he was conceding the race, he also said he would "refuse to concede that Michigan is a blue state. But he never did, the Moffits attorney alleged in the malpractice suit. It just screams out: This is why people hate lawyers. We dont need this in our profession.. 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. I think hed be the best to try to unify everybody," Kallman said. Matt DePerno has earned the endorsement of the Michigan Republican Party to take on incumbent Democrat Dana Nessel in November. We are honored to have Kari's support in this race, check out the full endorsement! Were looking forward to a party thats successful," Karamo said. People have to see something worth investing in," she said, "and the party hasnt proven itself to be such.. 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. 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. And in early 2022, state Rep. Ryan Berman of Commerce Township, who previously ran for attorney general as a Republican against DePerno, said DePerno's "skeletons have skeletons. After practicing law as a partner at a large law firm for 10 years, Matthew opened his own law practice in 2005, DePerno Law, PLLC. Were going to be a political machine that strikes fear in the heart of Democrats," Karamo told delegates. "Were going to win.. The parties later settled for $20,000, which Detroit News publisher and editor Gary Miles called a message thatfrivolous lawsuitsagainst news organizations for performing their duties under the First Amendment will not be taken lightly.. He been critical of Nessels record as attorney general, accusing her of botching the criminal case involving the Flint water scandal and referring to her as drunk Dana because she admitted being intoxicated at a college football game. Ive taken on tough cases. Matt attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Login. 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. Matthew Furyk - Marquette, Michigan, United States | Professional DePerno and Courser couldn't pay the amount, they argued in court. from the New York University School of Law. Ive taken on cases that people even in the media have disagreed with.. 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. 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. Taxation 1994-95 University of Detroit Mercy School of Law DePerno is one of nine people who were investigated by Nessel's office for an alleged Michigan vote tabulator tampering scheme. On Nov. 8, voters will decide whether to put him in the attorney general's office. Last weekend, Democrats reelected Lavora Barnes to a third term as chairwoman of the Michigan Democratic Party. The sides eventually settled out of court in 2008.
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