Free Press Editorial: DePerno is a time bomb. Re-elect Dana Nessel

DePerno is a time bomb. Re-elect Dana Nessel | Opinion
Detroit Free Press Editorial Board


Matthew DePerno cannot become Michigan's next attorney general. He has pledged to pursue a set of dark objectives ― prosecuting the incumbent governor, secretary of state and attorney general; jailing doctors and nurses who provide abortions; working to overturn elections ― that would throw Michigan into chaos, while saying that he'd like to make morning after pills like Plan B illegal, that he believes the Supreme Court ruling that struck down state laws barring birth control was wrongly decided, and opposes civil and LGBTQ rights. You can read more about his agenda here.

DePerno has spent nearly all of his meager advertising funds trying to caricature his incumbent opponent attorney general as a radical with a far-left agenda. In fact, Attorney General Dana Nessel has pursued the pro-consumer, anti-polluter, pro-people agenda she pledged to pursue in her first campaign.

When we endorsed Nessel earlier this year, we were confident that time and public exposure would reveal how serious a threat her opponent posed to the integrity of Michigan's elections and law enforcement efforts. But a lack of funds and name recognition have worked perversely in DePerno favor, leading many voters to assume he must be a garden-variety Republican, rather than an election denier facing the prospect of criminal prosecution and disbarment. The dereliction of institutional voices has given DePerno's candidacy a veneer of legitimacy it does not deserve, allowing him to stay within striking distance of his more-responsible opponent. The latest poll in the attorney general's race, out this week in the Free Press, shows a six-point lead for Nessel.

So let's talk about why Michigan voters should retain Dana Nessel as the state's attorney general.

In myriad ways, Michiganders are safer

Protecting all Michiganders has been the hallmark of Nessel's tenure.

Nessel led the negotiations for Michigan’s share of the federal opioid settlement, netting $800 million from pharmaceutical companies. She created the Elder Abuse Task Force to address the growing exploitation of vulnerable seniors -- state lawmakers responded to its recommendations requiring financial institutions to adopt new verification procedures to protect senior citizens' transactions. ............(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/editorials/2022/11/05/deperno-dana-nessel-election-november/69614684007/