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. DePerno also has fiercely loyal supporters who defend his legal work, including clients, who contend hed make a strong attorney general. 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. Connors previously ordered DePerno and Courser to pay a sanction of $79,701. 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. 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. The Protect the People political action committee called him a "corrupt lawyer" in one of its ads in recent days. Maddock and Weiser had formed a tenuous alliance leading Michigan Republicans for the last two years. 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. 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. He picked the fight and then billed them $130,000. Both of the final two candidates, Karamo and DePerno, had denied the results of the 2020 election: Trump's loss. 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. Nessel campaign spokeswoman Sarah Stevenson said the incumbent would provide hers if DePerno provided his. That happens all the time, and then things are resolved.. 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. 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. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. They need to see a party actually advocating for the values we espouse. See also: Michigan Attorney General election, 2022 Karamo was elected as party chairwoman last month, defeating 10 other candidates including Trump-backed former attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno. "We need somebody who will go in there and stand up for the little guy," Carra said. "As attorney general, you're the state's chief law enforcement officer. I will issue bench warrants.". But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. CONTACT. 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 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. It just screams out: This is why people hate lawyers. We dont need this in our profession.. said DePerno's "skeletons have skeletons. Two years into what had become a vicious legal fight, DePerno allegedly pressured the Moffits to sign a fee agreement that put their property mortgages up as collateral in the event they could not pay DePernos legal bills, which Buhl described as an unorthodox deal the kind of which he had never seen before. 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. In 2016, Buhlfiled a requestasking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. "I can't answer that question," the lawyer said. "Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one. 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. Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. 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. 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. DePerno has called Nessel's allegations garbage and said she's using the investigatory powers of her office for political purposes. But Democrats have slammed his continued unproven claims about fraud in the 2020 election. Nessel's office began its investigation in February, before DePerno was her opponent. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. Greenlee advanced to the second round of voting ahead of other contenders Tuscola County GOP Chairman Billy Putman, J.D. 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. 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. If Matthew DePerno wins his race to unseat Michigan's Democratic attorney general in November, he'll become the state's top lawyer. In 2005, DePerno launched his own law firm in Kalamazoo County, where he's practiced tax and real estate law. 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. Kristina Karamo (Secretary of State) - $796,022. We are honored to have Kari's support in this race, check out the full endorsement! Gretchen Whitmer imposed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In his suit, DePerno said he had explained "the background of every issue identified" and "rebutted any reasonable notion of improper conduct.". I have always supported Matt DePerno, said state Rep. Angela Rigas, R-Caledonia, as she entered the convention on Saturday. "Were going to win.. Subject. However, Shepard said DePerno wants to fix "the outdated and confusing" law, which dates to the 1840s. 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. Some Republicans voiced frustration and uncertainty about the partys direction Saturday. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. 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. 2023 Bridge Michigan. Last weekend, Democrats reelected Lavora Barnes to a third term as chairwoman of the Michigan Democratic Party. Email. GOP attorney general nominee Matthew DePerno at a Macomb County Trump rally, Oct. 1, 2022 | Laina G. Stebbins. 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. A judge rejected the litigation, saying her claims were "unsubstantiated" or misinterpreted Michigan election law. Perry Johnson (Governor) - $270,000. Matt and Laura have three wonderful children who are all current or former students at Michigan State University (MSU). 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. I just think this guy is going to be looking for election fraud under rocks," LaBrant said. Trump, who has touted DePerno's legal efforts, endorsed him to be Michigan's attorney general on Sept. 16, 2021. Dodge has since retired and told Bridge Michigan he did not remember the dispute well. "That would be a privileged question.". Could that Judge then rule on rape cases, or would that create a bias for the Judge? "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. "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. 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. Fill in the form below and we'll be in touch. In at least one instance, DePerno admitted that he falsified billing to a clients account, the law firms attorney said in a court filing. 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. The grievance commission can also privately admonish an attorney or place them on contractual probation, but those lighter punishments are not made public. I think hed be the best to try to unify everybody," Kallman said. Connors agreed on July 2. But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. Greenlee said Republicans were responding to his message of activating and engaging the delegates. 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. 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. Sponsor A 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 tocourt recordsreviewed by Bridge Michigan. Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general candidate. DePerno has also said he supports and would enforce the states 1931 ban on abortion. Hes also suggested banning Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that can prevent pregnancy if taken within three days of having unprotected sex. Now calling himself a constitutional attorney, DePerno told Bridge his favorite cases are those that involve constitutional rights people who have arguments that they've lost their rights because of government overreach.. But the litigation created four volumes of records at the Kalamazoo County clerk's office. Jimmy Greene, president of Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan, is among the state Republicans who have warmed to DePerno as the general election neared. Feb 10 Don't miss our Pre-Convention Rally with President Donald Trump THIS MONDAY! 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. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. Trump's campaign lawyer, Christina Bobb, worked with DePerno on the convention floor. 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.. Matt DePerno, a Republican candidate for Michigan attorney general, has appeared at Capitol rallies calling for a forensic audit of the 2020 presidential election. DePerno has also referred to Nessel, who is gay, as a groomer, which has drawn condemnation. And DePerno later sued their attorney unsuccessfully for defamation. One of DePerno's Republican convention opponents in the spring, Leonard, called on DePerno to detail what happened with the money in March. More:As Michigan AG race narrows, Nessel's comments, cases take center stage. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. Industrious Republican. 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." After realizing there were problems with the numbers, Antrim County Clerk Sheryl Guy's office canvassed the election results and reported official numbers. 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. DePerno's campaign didn't respond. DePerno, speaking with Bridge, called the assault allegation an "outrageous" attempt by the Moffits to avoid paying their legal bills. A year ago this month, DePerno stood on the steps of the state Capitol in front of a banner that told people to "demand a forensic audit" of the November 2020 election. 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. 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. DePerno took on "several cases regarding the unconstitutional nature of these lockdowns and mandates.". 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. 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. 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.. An incumbent attorney general hasn't lost reelection in Michigan since 1954. from New York University School of Law. 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. DePerno had represented an older couple Ronald and Cathleen Moffit whose home burned down in 2011. 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 . 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 ofmaking false claimsfor personal profit, echoing allegations that marred DePernos legal career nearly two decades earlier. Will you please support our nonprofit newsroom? (Bridge photo by Jonathan Oosting). 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. 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. 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. The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. I think its extremely problematic, Truscott told Bridge Michigan. He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. The sooner they can return to the party of sensibility and economic prosperity, the sooner they can start winning. DePerno worked as a partner in a law firm before opening DePerno Law Office in 2005. But he never did, the Moffits attorney alleged in the malpractice suit. Courser and DePerno unsuccessfully argued audio recordings that prompted Livengood's reporting in 2015 had been improperly edited. After leaving that role, she opened her own law firm. "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.". . 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. 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. 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. Trump, who's campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, endorsed DePerno for party chair in January. 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. 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. 38th State Senate Candidate for Michigan. Kallman declined to detail the issues. Because of the conflict of interest of investigating him, Nessel sought the appointment of a special prosecutor to decide if charges are warranted. . 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. Thanks for submitting! DePerno denied many of the accusations but eventually negotiated a settlement with the Moffits, whose attorney declined to discuss terms of the deal. 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. Trump's backing helped DePerno win a three-way race at an April convention for the party's attorney general nomination. "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 Saturday morning, Macomb County Republican Chairman Mark Forton dropped out of the state chair race, leaving nine remaining candidates. 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. 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. Nessel's race was seen as one of the closer statewide campaigns during the tight midterm race. They've suggested fraud and hacking. Were looking forward to a party thats successful," Karamo said. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for "for all the damage they have done" in office. DePerno also has fiercely loyal supporters who defend his legal work, including clients, who contend hed make a strong attorney general. 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 . DePerno is one of nine people who were investigated by Nessel's office for an alleged Michigan vote tabulator tampering scheme. More:Before Matt DePerno launched a bid for attorney general, he cleared up an arrest warrant. Were good neighbors and were going to be winning elections again.. DePerno has a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and later earned law degrees from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and New York University School of Law. DePerno and the firm eventually reached a settlement the terms of which were not available in court documents. DePerno is best known for defending former state Rep. Todd Courser after a2015 sex scandalcover up and challengingAntrim County election resultsin a failed lawsuit that spawned ongoing conspiracy theories about 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. "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.". 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. 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. 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. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. From beginning to end, the problem is you.. A Republican-led state Senate panel that spent months investigating the contest found no evidence of widespread fraud. 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.. 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. Some Michigan Republicans say they are . But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. 469 views. And I continuously showed that throughout my career. I'll continue to write good people in on my election ballots. About. 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. You must be logged in to post a comment He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused "extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.". 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. We report because the news impacts all of us. 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 bench warrant for DePerno's arrest was not resolved, according to available court records, and remained in effect for more than 14 months. At the end of 2020, DePerno began gaining national attention for challenging the election results in northern Michigan's Antrim County. As a tax attorney who worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties, his legal career has been marked by discord. Ultimately, I collected the fees that were due to me, DePerno told Bridge. The special prosecutor, D.J. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, DePerno said of the last presidential election. Asked about that, Castiglia countered that people "are getting sick of the doomsday Dem approach. As DePerno worked on the 2020 election, his law office's website linked to a fundraising page that brought in nearly $400,000. Another factor in his decision to run: Trump, who in July encouraged him to enter the race. Michigans nonpartisan, nonprofit news source. Develop A Candidate Recruitment Program through the Delegates, Play Offense Not Defense with the Democrats.