Trump, who has touted DePerno's legal efforts, endorsed him to be Michigan's attorney general on Sept. 16, 2021. Greene once tweeted that DePerno would be an "unmitigated disaster." But he never did, the Moffits attorney alleged in the malpractice suit. Could that Judge then rule on rape cases, or would that create a bias for the Judge? Asked about that, Castiglia countered that people "are getting sick of the doomsday Dem approach. Far-right election denier beats Trump's pick for Michigan GOP Ive taken on cases that people even in the media have disagreed with.. 500 Terry Francois St. SF, CA 94158. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890. Some Michigan Republicans say they are . DePerno is a leading advocate for a forensic audit of the 2020 election. The initial tallies in the Republican stronghold had Democrat Joe Biden winning by 3,260 votes with 62% of the overall total to Trump's 36%. Former state Rep. Aaron Miller, a Republican from Sturgis, said Karamo's victory indicated some Michigan Republicans want to keep losing elections. And the GOP-controlled Michigan Senate Oversight Committee accused DePerno of spreading "misleading information and illogical conclusions.". Submit. But he never did, the Moffits attorney alleged in the malpractice suit. DePerno had represented an older couple Ronald and Cathleen Moffit whose home burned down in 2011. Elissa Slotkin announces bid to succeed Debbie Stabenow. 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. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been declared the winner in the race for the state's top job. Who's in, out of race? Democratic Gov. While Nessel might be vulnerable, there remain questions two weeks before Election Day over whether DePerno was the right person to beat her and become the state's top law enforcement official. Matt DePerno announces bid for Michigan Republican Party chair 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. His work on an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging 2020 results in Antrim County put him on the front lines of Trumps attempt to overturn the election, and litigation involving that effort continues. In 1994, he received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and the following year his Masters in Taxation Law (LL.M.) 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. But he told Bridge he cannot discuss details because of a confidential settlement. At the end of 2020, DePerno began gaining national attention for challenging the election results in northern Michigan's Antrim County. Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general candidate. 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. The numbers became jumbled during the communication of the unofficial results to the county's election management system. Trump-backed GOP pick for Michigan AG has been a vocal supporter of 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. But his supporters see him as a tenacious champion who's willing to take up causes others have declined. Connors previously ordered DePerno and Courser to pay a sanction of $79,701. 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. The special prosecutor, D.J. ", More:Matt DePerno's rapid rise in GOP politics mired in controversy, lawsuits. Matt DePerno has earned the endorsement of the Michigan Republican Party to take on incumbent Democrat Dana Nessel in November. Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Timothy Connors signed a warrant in February 2020 for DePerno's arrest after he failed to appear for a creditor's exam in an unsuccessful defamation case brought by his client, former state Rep. Todd Courser, against The Detroit News. 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. 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. 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. All (DePerno) was interested in was generating fees for himself and protecting his way to collect it, Buhl said. The sheriff's office this week didn't provide a response to questions about the warrant. "Someone had to step up and take charge of what was happening. Matt and Laura have three wonderful children who are all current or former students at Michigan State University (MSU). 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. Firm: Michigan AG hopeful Matt DePerno fired over 'padded,' false 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. UP First. DePerno is well-known and well-liked by many clients, but his legal career has been marked by some discord. 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. In 2005, DePerno launched his own law firm in Kalamazoo County, where he's practiced tax and real estate law. See also: Michigan Attorney General election, 2022 Lena Epstein (University of Michigan Board of Regents) - $319,210. 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. I've always proven that I don't back down from anyone, he said. Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one.. Nessel joked about a "drag queen for every school" during an event in June. DePerno has also said he supports and would enforce the states 1931 ban on abortion. He went on to earn a graduate qualification at theNew York University School of Law. DePerno has also represented George Dernis, an Illinois businessman who's been in a years-long legal battle involving property in Michigan. He has been defending America's constitutional civil liberties for over 25 years. Nessel's office began its investigation in February, before DePerno was her opponent. 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.. He went on to repeatedly appear in Antrim County court to challenge the November 2020 election results while the warrant was in place. 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. "We look forward to having a Republican Party that shows Michiganders that were here to serve. 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." The guys got no ethics at all, William Buhl, a retired Van Buren County Circuit Court judge and former Republican, told Bridge. Dodge has since retired and told Bridge Michigan he did not remember the dispute well. Gretchen Whitmer imposed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts say there is no credible evidence of 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. Matthew DePerno - Ballotpedia His experience and record of success has benefited individuals, small business, and multi-national corporations. 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. DePerno later sued the law firm, claiming breach of contract and oppression of a minority shareholder. 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. In a Feb. 26, 2020, filing in the Court of Appeals, DePerno addressed the warrants facing him and his client. Nov 2. to willful neglect of duty by a public officer. 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. Matt DePerno, an attorney general candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued the firm over his firing and denied the allegations in court. DePerno is willing to take on "the status quo of corruption," Carra said. 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. 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. In order to win the chair position, a candidate had to receive more than 50% support. Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general DePerno has called Nessel's allegations garbage and said she's using the investigatory powers of her office for political purposes. Kallman declined to detail the issues. Matthew DePerno for Attorney General Karamo beats DePerno in Michigan GOP chair race, moving the party In at least one instance, DePerno admitted that he falsified billing to a clients account, the law firms attorney said in a court filing. 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. DePerno denied many of the accusations but eventually negotiated a settlement with the Moffits, whose attorney declined to discuss terms of the deal. DePerno worked as a partner in a law firm before opening DePerno Law Office in 2005. 62. DePerno wasn't paying attention in first grade when he was told how to behave himself, Magistrate Joseph Scoville said in announcing the sanctions at a May 2012 hearing, according to a transcript reviewed by Bridge. You can also contact us by using this form: First Name. If you care about Michigan, please support our work. Nessel campaign spokeswoman Sarah Stevenson said the incumbent would provide hers if DePerno provided his. 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. 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. Not too many people would have stuck by my family and myself like Matt has.". "Incredibly, the appeals court noted, DePerno made the following analogy: lets assume a Judge was raped. 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. 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. Ive taken on tough cases. Matt DePerno, an attorney general candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, sued the firm over his firing and denied the allegations in court. Kristina Karamo (Secretary of State) - $796,022. The sides eventually settled out of court in 2008. They need to see a party actually advocating for the values we espouse. 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. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for "for all the damage they have done" in office. Hilson, hasn't yet announced a decision. In May 2021, a local judge blocked DePerno's push for an "independent and nonpartisan forensic audit" in Antrim County. 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. But the litigation created four volumes of records at the Kalamazoo County clerk's office. 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. Michigans nonpartisan, nonprofit news source. "The creditor's exam was scheduled for today," Connors said in court on Feb. 7, 2020, according to a transcript. Michigan AG nominee DePerno is investigated by AG's office : NPR 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. She said the party would focus on local issues over national politics. 1:04. Elections 2022. 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. Matthew Wilk of Northville said Republicans cant rely on the state party to do things the state GOP used to do. 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. DePerno had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. 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. If you can't abide by the laws and the rules, how do you have the moral authority to prosecute criminals?". 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. DePerno, 53, is a Portage-based attorney who primarily works on tax cases and worked primarily in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties. 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. 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. During her remarks on Saturday, Karamo said she refused to concede her 615,000-vote loss to Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson because the election was a "fraudulent process." Michigan Officials Push to Investigate Matthew DePerno in 2020 Election 469 views. In his suit, DePerno said he had explained "the background of every issue identified" and "rebutted any reasonable notion of improper conduct.". On Saturday morning, Macomb County Republican Chairman Mark Forton dropped out of the state chair race, leaving nine remaining candidates. It's unclear why DePerno was never arrested. 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. His experience and record of success has benefited individuals, small business, and multi-national corporations. Michigan Republican convention to decide next party leader I try not to get emotional when I talk about the guy," Dernis said. 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. But some Republicans were concerned about DePerno's track record. "Were going to win.. DePerno had represented an older couple Ronald and Cathleen Moffit whose home burned down in 2011. 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. 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.. He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. Matt DePerno sought to foreclose on his clients' property. Now he wants 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. His campaign website says he will "restore law and order" and "uphold the Constitution.". 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. DePerno denied many of the accusations but eventually negotiated a settlement with the Moffits, whose attorney declined to discuss terms of the deal. Karamo was elected as party chairwoman last month, defeating 10 other candidates including Trump-backed former attorney general candidate Matthew DePerno. 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. 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. Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. (@mdeperno) / Twitter 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.. Trump endorses Matt DePerno in race for Michigan Republican Party chair 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. "Anyone who does not treat systemic election corruption commensurate with the state and national threat it is, should be disqualified from any position in party leadership," Karamo's plan said. Matthew has published 21 legal reports based on his findings from the forensic audit. 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. "Thank goodness that most of my cases were nothing like this one. "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. (FOX 2) - Republican Matthew DePerno has conceded the race for attorney general to Dana Nessel, releasing a statement thanking voters for showing up for the candidate. The newspaper donated the attorney fees it recovered from DePerno to the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation. She has repeatedly made unproven and false claims about Michigan's voting system. 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. Michigan attorney general says FBI confirmed she was target of plot to 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. But the changing tallies led to a wave of concerns and conspiracy theories about what had happened. Nessel's race was seen as one of the closer statewide campaigns during the tight midterm race. Sponsor DePerno, who had worked with the Moffits on tax issues in the past, allegedly convinced the couple he could negotiate with the IRS. Anthony DePerno, 21, is majoring in Supply Chain Management at MSU and is expected to graduate this Spring, 2022. 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. Metro Detroit lawyer Jalal J. Dallo, who practices criminal defense, said bench warrants are typically ordered when someone is supposed to appear in court but doesn't show up. 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. We report because the news impacts all of us. "I think it's extremely problematic," Truscott told Bridge Michigan. DePerno faces incumbent Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel on Nov. 8. The ProAssurance Casualty Company alleged DePerno made unreasonable demands of attorneys they had hired to represent him in the Moffits malpractice suit. DePerno's campaign didn't respond. Chaos And Conspiracies: 12 Hours At A GOP Convention That Handed Trump The Protect the People political action committee called him a "corrupt lawyer" in one of its ads in recent days. As he's campaigned for attorney general, DePerno vowed to "investigate and prosecute Gov. 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. Karamo to lead Michigan Republican Party, beating Trump-endorsed DePerno The secret to a good campaign is to peak at the right time," Greenlee said. Him and I had discussions as to whether I should run, DePerno said. ", In an Oct. 1 interview, DePerno said if he's elected, he'll work to lower Michigan's crime rate and combat sex trafficking. While the case was ultimately settled, what he saw in pre-trial hearings was abhorrent, Buhl told Bridge Michigan. $400,000 for an Election Fraud Defense Fund in 2020, and critics have urged him to disclose what he did with that money. Thanks for submitting! The Moffits never filed a criminal complaint. 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. Ive always proven that I dont back down from anyone, he said.