Washington, DC — With days left until Election Day, Matt DePerno’s scandals are continuing with no end in sight. Yesterday, the Detroit News exposed DePerno’s criminal record, reporting, “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 launched his campaign for attorney general, according to court records.”

“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. Connors previously ordered DePerno and Courser to pay a sanction of $79,701.”

“‘The creditor’s exam was scheduled for today,’ Connors said in court on Feb. 7, 2020, according to a transcript. ‘They are not here. I will issue bench warrants.’”

“A court filing showed the bench warrant was stamped ‘canceled’ on May 6, 2021. 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. Connors agreed on July 2. DePerno formed his campaign committee to run for attorney general 12 days later, on July 14, 2021.”

“It was a ‘trick,’ DePerno told the state Court of Appeals on Feb. 26, 2020. ‘Petitioners have also have been in direct contact with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department to resolve the bench warrants.’”

“The bench warrant for DePerno’s arrest was not resolved, according to available court records, and remained in effect for more than 14 months.”

“‘Matt DePerno has been dodging questions about his personal finances for years, and this is one more reason why Michiganders can’t trust him to be their next AG,’ said Emily Trifone, deputy communications director at the Democratic Attorneys General Association. ‘From his dangerous stances on abortion and birth control, to his embrace of Donald Trump’s most fringe election conspiracy theories, it’s clear that Michigan needs to reelect Dana Nessel as AG.’”

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