(Source: MIRS.news, Published 04/11/2022 -by Staff) Republican Attorney General candidate Matthew DePerno's campaign team claimed it hit a “home run” Monday night during its “storming” of county GOP conventions, in its attempt to pack the April 23 Republican state convention with America First and pro-DePerno delegates. However, the success of the 2022 "Takeover" remains uncertain in some GOP communities.
The Macomb County GOP convention in Shelby Township resulted in a civil war between two factions that were both pro-DePerno, majorly pro-forensic audit and ultimately pro-Trump. However, the night resulted in a successful coup in leadership for the county.
Meanwhile, one of the busier conventions of the night was in Novi, where one insider projected DePerno won roughly 75% of the 250-some Oakland County delegates as they punched in their tickets to attend the statewide convention on April 23.
In Kent County, Make America Great Again (MAGA) activist Keith Hinkle tried to take out former Rep. Rob VerHeulen for chair, but didn't succeed. One projection had Attorney General candidate Tom Leonard picking up slightly more delegates than DePerno in Kent. Another source said Leonard “crushed it in the Upper Peninsula."
Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo had a strong night in population-rich Southeast Michigan, even if her opponent, Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain), did well Up North, according to one report.
Leonard also reportedly did well in smaller counties, like his home in Clinton County, while DePerno, according to staff reports, seemed to take care of business in his home county of Kalamazoo.
“The storm worked and we slaughtered them," said John Yob, the political organizer who helped organized today's crusade.
DePerno spokesperson Tyson Shepard said, “It was an incredible night for Matt DePerno. He will be our next AG.”
Below are our staff reporters from the various locations:
Pot Immediately Stirred In Macomb County, Chaotic In-Party Fighting Erupts
(SHELBY TWP.) - Although there were 288 credentialed delegates in the room, the Macomb County GOP attracted more than 600 individuals, resulting in back-to-back interruptions, screaming matches and calls for a "RINO hunt."
The Macomb County Republican Chair, Mark Forton, was deposed by Eric Castiglia of Sterling Heights in a 158-123 vote. Castiglia initially told The Detroit News he believes "the county party needs to be a safe haven for all Republicans."
He said while there are a lot of good Republicans in Macomb County, "right now, we have a faction that believes they're a better Republican than anyone else and they sit high enough to judge all other Republicans."
The Shelby Gardens banquet hall in Shelby Township had a bar serving alcohol as the ballroom was filled past its capacity. The event featured election denier Melissa Carone – a disqualified state House candidate – waving a middle finger in the air as members of her entourage screamed out "swamp monster."
Forton attempted to explain how he wasn't a Republican-In-Name-Only (RINO) while various guests demanded his position be voted on before presenting his report to the convention. Shelby Township Clerk Stanley Grot attempted to halt Forton from speaking, dividing disruptors into two major fractions: people calling Forton a "fake Republican," and people chanting "Sit Down Stan!"
As the event was being live-streamed by different attendees, Forton was informed he was getting a phone call from the statewide Republican Party. He responded, "oh, really? Tell them I said hello," denying to accept the call.
Although he said he wouldn't shut down the individuals disrupting the event – warning that he would let the convention go until 2 a.m. – delegate and conservative strategist Jamie ROE made a motion to make the chair vote private to delegates.
Guests were moved into the hallway for about an hour.
In the end, 142 delegates from the 10th Congressional District and 87 alternates will be sent to the statewide convention, as well as 57 delegates and 28 alternates from the new 9th Congressional District.
DePerno Takes Oakland County
(NOVI) – While DePerno's success in other parts of the state are being questioned, his success in Oakland County – home of Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Meshawn MADDOCK – is not. The Antrim County election fraud attorney won at least 75% of the 250 available delegates here, giving DePerno a strong showing in Michigan's second-largest county.
Judge Michael Warren, gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson and Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) were in attendance for the Oakland County Republican Convention. Oakland County Republican Party Chair Rocky Raczkowski ran the convention.
A total of 246 Precinct Delegates were on the list to be appointed to fill just 26 vacancies, with each vacancy filled during the convention. When asked if MIRS could see the list of the Precinct Delegates, the request was denied, and the list will head to the Republican Party.
“It’s a very fair way of conducting ourselves tonight,” said Raczkowksi. “We are very civil and organized in Oakland County.”
Around 300 people came to the Convention in Novi to help fill the vacancies with what they described as “Hard Working Republicans”.
A total time of two hours was taken throughout the convention to count and work on voting for the delegates and the alternates for the delegates. The State Republican Convention will be held in Grand Rapids on April 23, 2022.
Kalamazoo Loves Its Hometown Guy
(KALAMAZOO) – The Kalamazoo Expo Center erupted in loud cheers after county chair Tony Lorentz read a letter to Kalamazoo GOP convention from Attorney General hopeful DePerno today.
A big topic of the night in Kalamazoo was the new maps that split the once-whole county district into the 4th and 5th Districts. Convention chair Tim BROWN made a crack at the new maps, saying they looked quite strange after being redrawn by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
“The redistricting commission has been a challenge for everybody,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R) .
Several of the nearly 100 delegates and guests were wearing red hats with “Trump Was Right” written on them.
“There was no ‘storming’ so that was good,” Lorentz said.
Rep. Matt Hall (R-Emmett Township) got up to start and made a quick campaign speech about why he chose Kalamazoo County to run in. He filed to run in the 42nd House District Monday, avoiding a primary with Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Springport).
“They said it was an ‘independent commission’ and they said it wasn’t gerrymandered anymore, but if you look at that district it looks awfully strange,” said Hall, who touted bringing Rudy Guiliani to Michigan and for looking deeply into systematic fraud as the reason Trump lost the 2020 election.
Gary Mitchell, running for state representative in the 42nd District against Hall, pushed back on Hall, saying the two-term House member didn't do enough to overturn the election or act on the information that came from the hearings to call for an audit.
“I think there’s plenty of evidence to decertify the election now,” Mitchell said.
Lorentz cut Mitchell off and said he thanked him for doing that later in the night.
Lorentz said the slate of delegates elected wasn’t necessarily a pro-DePerno slate, but that the Kalamazoo County attorney had done quite a bit with getting the school boards to drop the masking and that his name carries weight in the county.
“What it all comes down to with the voters, is that we don’t encourage delegates one way or the other,” he said. “It would be like me going to the polls and saying, ‘hey who you going to vote for?’”
The list of delegates from Kalamazoo County would be sent to the state party in Lansing and the Kalamazoo County Clerk around 4 p.m. Tuesday, according to Lorentz.
“It is just a matter of getting them put on the proper forms,” he said.
Lorentz said he doesn’t expect the state convention in Lansing to be quite as cordial.
“State is going to make this look like an old folks home,” he said.
VerHeulen Survives Challenge In Grand Rapids
Former Rep. Rob VerHeulen narrowly survived three separate votes from delegates who wanted to get rid of him as chair during the county convention in Grand Rapids. He managed to secure a 74-69 vote against Hinkle, a longtime MAGA stalwart.
The sense in the room, according to one observer, was that Leonard enjoyed a slim lead against DePerno by night's end.
However, this source also suggested that Karamo likely had a firm number of delegates in Kent County today, even though LaFave said he felt comfortable with his presentation and reception from the Grand Rapids crew.
Republican House candidate in the 74th District, Robert REGAN, was present, but an eye-in-the-sky for MIRS reported that Regan received neither an overwhelmingly favorable nor unfavorable reaction from those in the room.
Clinton County GOP Convention Calmly Concludes
(DeWITT) – The storm DePerno called for at the Trump rally on April 3 didn’t materialize at the home county of his convention opponent, Tom Leonard, in Clinton County tonight.
Instead, it was smooth sailing and, after opening with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, it took less than an hour to choose the 19 precinct delegates who all supported hometown Attorney General candidate Tom Leonard and several alternates who will attend the state Republican party convention on April 23.
“What we saw was just a group of people who were really focused on making sure that the process was executed and fairly executed,” said Stephanie VanKoevering, who was selected as one of the 19 delegates. “It was very low key.”
The convention had all but nine of their precinct delegates in attendance. However, there are more than 80 vacant delegate positions for the county, according to the Clinton County Republican Precinct Delegate list from the Aug. 4, 2020 primary election. These vacancies were the positions that DePerno was hoping for his supporters to fill.
Val Shirey, secretary for the Clinton County Republican Party, said "storm" or not, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. There are no avenues for a non-delegate to be appointed as a delegate for the state primary convention on April 23.
Ben Brock, who was chosen for the first time as one of the precinct delegates to attend the convention, said he didn’t have any concern over what DePerno had pushed for, and that the voting process was smooth and uneventful.
Another precinct delegate, who was selected as one of the alternates, said the voting process went as he expected with establishment support behind the delegates who support former House Speaker Tom Leonard, who is running for attorney general against DePerno.
He said he is usually one of the precinct delegates, but believes he was selected as an alternate this time because Leonard “packed (the delegation) with his cronies” and while he is not a non-supporter of Leonard, he remains undecided.
VanKoevering hopes that Republicans will rally and come together in their support of one candidate, “a leader,” over the next few weeks. She thinks that what is driving the wedge between voters is what they believe about the 2020 election.
“The most important thing we need to do, though, is unite behind somebody,” she said. “We’ve got to figure it out.”
She has a few key things she is looking for in a candidate: integrity, a winner and “someone who can govern well.”
“I feel like there are a lot of people who have one or two great characteristics, but I have yet to feel like I see the whole package,” VanKoevering said. “And I’m waiting for that. And when I see it, I’m going to recognize it.”
Leonard was in attendance for most of the hour but left while votes were being contacted. He declined MIRS’s request for comment.
No ‘Storming’ In Eaton County
(DELTA TWP.) – According to long-standing Eaton County Republicans, there was no “storming of the convention” in the mostly rural county west of Lansing and the race for Attorney General among delegates was “too close to call.”
“We stressed there wouldn’t be anyone appointed delegate until after all the voting,” Dar Littlejohn, secretary of the Eaton County Republican party told MIRS. Littlejohn said delegates were told by email last Thursday just how the evening would proceed at Tony M’s banquet hall in Delta Township.
Littlejohn said to her knowledge there’s never been fighting or overly rude politicking at the county’s gatherings. Asked if she’d heard from other county officials about issues, she laughed, there “are counties that always have problems.” She named one, then laughed, and asked “please don’t print that part.”
The convention gathering varied in size. At one point, MIRS counted 53 attendees, at another 56. Current Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) played a major role, swearing in the 10 or so permanent convention officers for the county. He also was ribbed a bit as delegates were told not to waste a vote on Barrett to attend the state convention since he was going to go regardless.
Also present, was Barrett’s predecessor, former Sen. Rick Jones. Jones and Barrett are coming down on opposite sides of the Attorney General’s race. Barrett’s only endorsement in the convention-decided races of Attorney General and Secretary of State is for Leonard, who he counts as a close friend.
Jones told MIRS he hasn’t decided for whom he’ll vote but has decided for whom he won’t – Leonard.
“Tom Leonard lost my support when I decided Tonya Schuitmaker would have a better chance of winning, than Mr. Leonard (in 2018),” Jones told MIRS. “So, he with his power as Speaker of the House had all Rick Jones’ bills locked up. Nothing could move with my name on, I don’t forget.”
Barrett told MIRS that Leonard would do well among the 22 elected Eaton County state convention delegates because Leonard was better organized. Jones predicts DePerno will have more Eaton County state convention votes than Leonard and that he will carry the state convention.
Among the six GOP candidates vying for Secretary of State or Attorney General, Leonard was the only candidate to make an appearance at the Eaton County GOP gathering.
“A couple of questions for you, I want to know who in this room is ready to send home the most radical attorney general this country has ever seen?” Leonard shouted to the attendees. Leonard got an even bigger applause line when he asked the Eaton County GOP who was ready to send Tom Barrett to Congress?
According to Eaton County GOP Executive Committee Chair Ron Kendall, there were 22 state convention delegates elected this evening – a total of 30 sought the seats. Neither Barrett nor Jones said they saw any “new faces” at tonight’s gathering and Barrett said the crowd appeared to him to be smaller than in years past.
