LANSING, Mich. (AP) 鈥� An in connection with an effort to illegally access and tamper with voting machines in Michigan after the 2020 election said Thursday that he's running for the state's high court.
Republican Matthew DePerno, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, made the announcement on the social platform X.
鈥淎fter watching the abuse of our legal system both here in Michigan, as well as across the country, it is clear that the Michigan Supreme Court needs members that are committed to following the constitution and rule of law,鈥� DePerno wrote.
鈥淎ctivist judges, prosecutors, and attorney generals are using their power to prosecute their political enemies,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭his has to stop. And that is why I am running for Supreme Court.鈥�
DePerno, who for Michigan attorney general, was arraigned last summer on undue possession of a voting machine and conspiracy charges. Daire Rendon, a former Republican state representative, was charged with conspiracy to commit undue possession of a voting machine and false pretenses.
Five vote tabulators were illegally taken from three Michigan counties and brought to a hotel room, released in 2022 by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office. Investigators found that the tabulators were broken into and 鈥渢ests鈥� were performed on the equipment. DePerno was named as a 鈥減rime instigator鈥� in the case.
A state judge has ruled that it is a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, to take a machine without a court order or permission directly from the secretary of state鈥檚 office.
DePerno鈥檚 case has not gone to trial and he has denied wrongdoing.
Because Nessel ran against DePerno in 2022, her office cited a conflict of interest, requested 鈥� and was granted 鈥� a special prosecutor in the case.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said Thursday in a statement about DePerno that 鈥渉is disdain for democracy and reproductive freedom make him a direct threat to our legal system.鈥�
鈥淢att DePerno is unfit to serve on the highest court in the state," Barnes said. 鈥淭he stakes have never been higher for these supreme court races 鈥� if Trump鈥檚 MAGA loyalists are elected, they will do everything in their power to drag our state backward.鈥�
DePerno is running for a partial-term seat currently held by a Democratic-backed judge. He will compete against Alexandria Taylor and Patrick O鈥橤rady for the Republican Party鈥檚 nomination at the August convention.
Michigan's Democratic Party executive committee has endorsed Justice Kyra Harris Bolden and attorney and law professor Kimberly Ann Thomas for the state supreme court.
where prosecutors say people breached election systems while embracing and spreading Trump鈥檚 lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
The Associated Press
