Courser, who was accused of using House staff and resources to help cover up an extra-marital affair, ultimately pleaded no contest to a charge of willful neglect of duty by a public officer, a one-year misdemeanor. Matt DePerno, a Republican candidate for Michigan attorney general, has appeared at Capitol rallies calling for a "forensic audit" of the 2020 presidential election. Leave us a message. 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. 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. Gretchen Whitmer also won another term with Democrats taking control of the Legislature for the first time in 40 years. "I'll pass. "Petitioners have also have been in direct contact with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department to resolve the bench warrants.". 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. After leaving that role, she opened her own law firm. Will you please support our nonprofit newsroom? DePerno, speaking with Bridge, called the assault allegation an "outrageous" attempt by the Moffits to avoid paying their legal bills. 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. DePerno's campaign didn't respond. He has a wife and three children. Matthew DePerno (Attorney General) - $771,799. 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. He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.. 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. Connors agreed on July 2. DePernos biggest claim to fame has been his efforts to find evidence that fraud cost Trump the election. The Protect the People political action committee called him a "corrupt lawyer" in one of its ads in recent days. New York University School of Law Master of Laws (LL.M.) (Bridge photo by Jonathan Oosting). A Republican-led state Senate panel that spent months investigating the contest found no evidence of widespread fraud. And I think were peaking.". 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. Rigas described DePerno as the person who can unite the party. 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. Show your unity and support today! Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. I'll continue to write good people in on my election ballots. "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. Matthew DePerno was born in Warren and raised in Troy, Michigan. But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. DePerno had padded billings, claimed excessive write offs, manipulated the firms timekeeping system and logged hours with no explanation, according to the interoffice memo prepared by Kreis Enderle administrator Mike Beam. The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. They need to see a party actually advocating for the values we espouse. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. 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." From beginning to end, the problem is you.. Were good neighbors and were going to be winning elections again.. People get into disputes and they say things about each other in litigation, he told Bridge in a phone interview. And DePerno later sued their attorney unsuccessfully for defamation. Gaining unauthorized access to voting machines is a felony in Michigan. 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. Gretchen Whitmer in public polling and in the last election. If you can't abide by the laws and the rules, how do you have the moral authority to prosecute criminals?". I've taken on cases that people even in the media have disagreed with.. 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. Vote DePerno. 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 . DePerno has clashed frequently with Republicans who have stressed the need to move on from the 2020 election. 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. I just think this guy is going to be looking for election fraud under rocks," LaBrant said. They need to see a well-organized party. The grievance commission can also privately admonish an attorney or place them on contractual probation, but those lighter punishments are not made public. Getting Trumps endorsement was huge for DePernos campaign. Other Republican activists also lined up behind DePerno, citing his aggressive approach. Greene once tweeted that DePerno would be an "unmitigated disaster." Were going to be a political machine that strikes fear in the heart of Democrats," Karamo told delegates. People have to see something worth investing in," she said, "and the party hasnt proven itself to be such.. In 2005, DePerno launched his own law firm in Kalamazoo County, where he's practiced tax and real estate law. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement. "That would be a privileged question.". "Someone had to step up and take charge of what was happening. Vote Furyk. 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. An incumbent attorney general hasn't lost reelection in Michigan since 1954. In at least one instance, DePerno admitted that he falsified billing to a clients account, the law firms attorney said in a court filing. If Matthew DePerno wins his race to unseat Michigan's Democratic attorney general in November, he'll become the state's top lawyer. 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. As recently as last month, he criticized the GOP-led Legislature for failing to. The warrant was recalled when DePerno and The News reached a $20,000 settlement in May 2021. 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.". DePerno and the firm eventually reached a settlement the terms of which were not available in court documents. In his original complaint, DePerno alleged he was wrongfully fired from his $110,000 job because he had raised questions about the financial operations of the firm. We are honored to have Kari's support in this race, check out the full endorsement! The Michigan Court of Appeals ultimately upheld the decision to allow Dodge to remain a judge. Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. The special prosecutor, D.J. 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 defeated unsuccessful GOP attorney general candidate Matt DePerno of Kalamazoo, a fellow election denier who was endorsed in the party chair race by Trump. A Republican-led state Senate panel that spent months investigating the contest foundno evidence of widespread fraud. 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. 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. After realizing there were problems with the numbers, Antrim County Clerk Sheryl Guy's office canvassed the election results and reported official numbers. "As attorney general, you're the state's chief law enforcement officer. Consumers Energy, Manchester Market partner for free community breakfast, Career partnerships expand within Manchester school district, Dance Masters of Michigan attend solo title event competition, Village establishes change of use ordinance, Environmental incentives to conservation easements: Residents learn about land management & preservation, reflecting the community of Manchester since 2013. DePerno beat Tom Leonard in the second round of voting with 54% of . The grievance commission can also privately admonish an attorney or place them on contractual probation, but those lighter punishments are not made public. 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. Lansing Republican Matt DePerno's embrace of former President Donald Trump's unproven election fraud claims moved the Kalamazoo trial lawyer from political obscurity to the front lines. Courser, who was accused of using House staff and resources to help cover up an extra-marital affair, ultimately pleaded no contest to a charge of willful neglect of duty by a public officer, a one-year misdemeanor. More:As Michigan AG race narrows, Nessel's comments, cases take center stage. Matthew DePerno for Attorney General Home About Platform Volunteer State Convention Delegate DONATE 517-618-9655 Team@Depernoformi.com 3105 S Martin Luther King Blvd #104 Lansing, MI 48910 Matt's Plan To Fix the Michigan GOP FILL EVERY PRECINCT DELEGATE SLOT In April, we the people pulled off a HUGE win. Trump had also endorsed DePerno in that . DePerno lost the 2022 attorney general election to incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel by nearly nine points. I have always supported Matt DePerno, said state Rep. Angela Rigas, R-Caledonia, as she entered the convention on Saturday. Whitmer won her first term by 9 points over Republican Bill Schuette in 2018. 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." He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. 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. 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 contraceptive prevents ovulation and does not induce an abortion. On his website he states he would declare critical race theory unconstitutional, calling it a Marxist agenda.. Because of the conflict of interest of investigating him, Nessel sought the appointment of a special prosecutor to decide if charges are warranted. "The sanction award far exceeds the petitioners' ability to pay," Baker wrote in a filing on Jan. 9, 2020. That happens all the time, and then things are resolved.. 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. 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. Some Republicans voiced frustration and uncertainty about the partys direction Saturday. 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. 1:04. DePerno's work with Courser led to a years-long defamation suit against The News and staff member Chad Livengood, who broke the story of Courser's affair and the lawmaker's scheme to hide it. The two have been married for over 26 years and raised three children together. 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. They advanced to a second round before Karamo beat DePerno in the third and final vote. Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general candidate. DePerno called Buhls accusations total nonsense and told Bridge the matter was ultimately dismissed by the grievance commission, as it should be., While Buhl said the professional code of conduct for attorneys prohibits him from revealing results of the grievance commission investigation, he called DePerno's characterization of dismissal "the farthest thing from the truth.. While the case was ultimately settled, what he saw in pre-trial hearings was abhorrent, Buhl told Bridge Michigan. I will continue to fight like hell to restore Michigan to all it can be and I look forward to continuing this journey with you all.". He alleged oppression of a minority shareholder and said his termination caused "extreme mental anguish, emotional distress, shock and humiliation.". The Moffits never filed a criminal complaint. 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. $400,000 for an Election Fraud Defense Fund in 2020, and critics have urged him to disclose what he did with that money. 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 a leading advocate for a forensic audit of the 2020 election. The Michigan Court of Appeals ultimately upheld the decision to allow Dodge to remain a judge. Lansing Republican Matt DePerno's embrace of former President Donald Trump's unproven election fraud claims moved the Kalamazoo trial lawyer from political obscurity to the front lines. Matts reports can be found at DePernoLaw.com. She becomes the first Black person to lead the Michigan GOP. DePerno is well-known and well-liked by many clients, but his legal career has been marked by some discord. from New York University School of Law. The News asked DePerno and Nessel to release their most recent tax returns. Ive taken on tough cases. She said the party would focus on local issues over national politics. 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. The March 12, 2020, hearing was eventually canceled, according to court records. 500 Terry Francois St. SF, CA 94158. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890. "I can't answer that question," the lawyer said. 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. 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. 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. 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. DePerno faces incumbent Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel on Nov. 8. 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. 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. John Engler. The ProAssurance Casualty Company alleged DePerno made unreasonable demands of attorneys they had hired to represent him in the Moffits malpractice suit. 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. 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. Another factor in his decision to run: Trump, who in July encouraged him to enter the race. Nessel's office began its investigation in February, before DePerno was her opponent. Not too many people would have stuck by my family and myself like Matt has.". Were looking forward to a party thats successful," Karamo said. As attorney general, youre the states chief law enforcement officer. ", 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. 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. Industrious Republican. 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. People need to see a competent party, Karamo said. 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. His experience and record of success has benefited individuals, small business, and multi-national corporations. Vote Karamo. All rights reserved. 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. Putman and Glaser each got 12% on the first ballot. I honestly believe on the first vote shes going to have the most votes," Forton said in an interview on the convention floor of Karamo. 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. Matthew DePerno, who is likely to be Republicans' nominee for attorney general in Michigan, is among a group of election deniers running for offices that have significant authority over voting. New York University School of Law Master of Laws (LL.M.) Trump's campaign lawyer, Christina Bobb, worked with DePerno on the convention floor. "The Washtenaw County Sheriff Department said they thought the bench warrant was so outrageous that they did not consider it enforceable," Shepard said. From beginning to end, the problem is you.. . In 2016, Buhl filed a request asking the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno after he was accused of legal malpractice. 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, speaking with Bridge, called the assault allegation an outrageous attempt by the Moffits to avoid paying their legal bills. It takes working together to restore this great state. "I think it's extremely problematic," Truscott told Bridge Michigan. But court records show judges have repeatedly sanctioned or complained about his courtroom conduct. State Rep. Ryan Berman is also running. At the end of 2020, DePerno began gaining national attention for challenging the election results in northern Michigan's Antrim County. In May 2021, a local judge blocked DePerno's push for an "independent and nonpartisan forensic audit" in Antrim County. 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. Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party, said "crazy" had trumped Trump at Saturday's convention. Kari Lake, a champion for election integrity and the America First Movement, has officially endorsed Matt DePerno for MI GOP Chairman. 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. Recently, in an election of national significance, a Donald Trump-backed candidate was easily bested in his quest to lead the Michigan Republican Party, a state considered pivotal for control of both the Senate and the presidency in 2024. Ive taken on cases that people even in the media have disagreed with.. 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. Ive always proven that I dont back down from anyone, he said. 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. And he's 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.". Longtime GOP mega-donor Ron Weiser, a wealthy Ann Arbor businessman, opted against seeking another term as party chairman. A court filing showed the bench warrant was stamped "canceled" on May 6, 2021. 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. Dernis labeled DePerno a person of integrity. In a Feb. 26, 2020, filing in the Court of Appeals, DePerno addressed the warrants facing him and his client. Elections 2022. ", "If it wasn't for Matt, we'd be out on the streets," Dernis told Bridge. 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. "Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. I've always proven that I don't back down from anyone, he said. DePerno had padded billings, claimed excessive write offs, manipulated the firms timekeeping system and logged hours with no explanation, according to the interoffice memo prepared by Kreis Enderle administrator Mike Beam. DePerno also has fiercely loyal supporters who defend his legal work, including clients, who contend hed make a strong attorney general. Could that Judge then rule on rape cases, or would that create a bias for the Judge? 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. "We look forward to having a Republican Party that shows Michiganders that were here to serve. The office of Dana Nessel, the Michigan attorney general, said that Matthew DePerno and other people had persuaded local clerks in three counties to hand over election equipment. DePerno and Courser couldn't pay the amount, they argued in court. 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. He is currently representing an Ann Arbor firefighter who he said was fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. 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. On Nov. 8, voters will decide whether to put him in the attorney general's office. 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. ", 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. He cut his teeth as a tax attorney in southwest Michigan but eventually expanded his Portage-based practice. Michigan GOP delegates chose ex-President Donald Trump's candidates for attorney general, Matthew DePerno, and secretary of state, Kristina Karamo. Trump's choice for the post, Matthew DePerno, had all the . And DePerno later sued their attorney unsuccessfully for defamation. 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.
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