Judge sets trial date in Michigan voting machine tampering case against pro-Trump lawyers

Oakland County Circuit Judge Jeffery S. Matis on Wednesday set a March 4 trial date in the case against attorneys Matthew DePerno and Stefanie Lambert Junttila and former state Rep. Daire Rendon (R-Lake City) citing a need to move the case forward.

DePerno, Lambert Junttila and Rendon were each indicted as part of a probe into potential tampering with voting tabulators following the 2020 election where Joe Biden was elected president of the United States over former President Donald Trump.

DePerno was the 2022 GOP nominee for attorney general. He lost to incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel.

The case has previously been delayed from a dispute over documents and in anticipation of future motions.

“I know there was discussion about filing a number of motions previously, unless they’ve just come in and I haven’t seen them. I have not seen those motions. So I don’t know where that stands, but we do need to move this forward,” Matis said.

In addition to the March 4 trial date, Matis set another pretrial date for Feb. 21.

“That’s what I view to be an appropriate balance. It gives you time to file your motions, but we’ve got to move it forward as well,” Matis said.

The court will consider motions filed by Rendon’s attorney, Camilla Barkovic, on Jan. 3.

Lambert’s attorney, Michael J. Smith, and DePerno’s attorney, Michael Cronkright, each said they expected to file additional motions.

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