Matthew DePerno Abandons Bid for Michigan Supreme Court
On the eve of the Michigan Republican Party state convention which was scheduled for Saturday in Flint, a surprising twist took place as renowned Attorney Matthew DePerno withdrew his candidacy for the Supreme Court seat. The convention was slated to choose party nominees for three Michigan university boards, the State Board of Education, and notably, for the Michigan Supreme Court.
Convention’s Developments and Conflicts
Two major contenders appeared in the race for the Supreme Court following DePerno’s withdrawal. Andrew Fink, a state representative from Hillsdale, was chosen to run for an eight-year term in the Supreme Court, while Branch County Circuit Judge Patrick O’Grady was selected to run for a partial four-year term.
Throughout the convention, tensions ran high. There were notably contentious moments throughout the day including when former Michigan Republican Party Chair – Kristina Karamo – was escorted out by police. Karamo, who was there to show support for a candidate, insisted that her eviction by “thugs” was uncalled for because she wasn’t causing any disruption.
She was countered by party chair, Pete Hoekstra, who mentioned that Karamo was not a registered delegate and declined a guest pass that would have allowed her to observe the proceedings from the gallery.
Cogent Reasons for DePerno’s Withdrawal
In an email sent to delegates late on Friday, DePerno outlined his reasons for stepping down from the competition for the four-year term on the court; a race which would have put him up against incumbent Justice Kyra Harris Bolden.
He wrote, “I’ve come to the conclusion that I can best help President Trump win Michigan by making sure that we have the strongest absentee and early vote program anywhere in the country – stronger than the Democrats.”
He further stated that his decision was meant to help push the Republican’s goals beyond what they’ve achieved in the past and requested delegates to carefully reflect on the best possible candidate for the November ballot.
Endorsements and Financial Perspective
After withdrawing, DePerno threw his support behind O’Grady for the term he was initially campaigning for and joined former President Trump in endorsing Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Mark Boonstra for the full eight-year term.
Campaign financial records, however, showed that DePerno had raised a little over $100 for his Supreme Court campaign, which fell significantly short of what the other candidates had raised.
Pending Legal Issues
DePerno first gained notoriety through his unsuccessful lawsuit that falsely claimed election results in Michigan’s Antrim County were manipulated through vote-counting equipment to favor President Joe Biden and harm Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 election. He is currently awaiting trial on felony charges related to alleged breaches of election machines.
