Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Matt DePerno tells Michigan oversight subcommittee prosecutors 'weaponized' process against him; lawmakers seek records
Summary
Matt DePerno testified before the House Oversight Subcommittee alleging Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel improperly investigated and later prosecuted him while litigating related civil matters, raising statutory conflicts, forum-shopping and funding questions. Lawmakers requested records and signaled further oversight and possible legislation.
Matt DePerno told the Michigan House Oversight Subcommittee on Weaponization of State Government that the prosecution bringing felony charges against him grew out of civil litigation in which the Michigan Attorney General’s office had been his opposing counsel and, he said, improperly converted civil processes into a criminal inquiry.
DePerno, the Republican nominee for Michigan attorney general in 2022, told the panel on July 2 that he was indicted on July 19, 2023, on counts including undue possession of a voting machine and conspiracy, but that he has not yet received a preliminary hearing. “When the process itself becomes punishment,” he said, “targeting a political rival, an election integrity advocate, the rule of law is turned into a political weapon.”
Why the committee is watching
DePerno asked legislators to examine several structural issues he said undercut prosecutorial neutrality: the overlap between the AG’s civil representation in the Antrum County litigation and parallel criminal investigative contacts with witnesses; a recorded proffer he says omitted material…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
