Randy Bishop, also known as “Trucker Randy,” the host of a local conservative talk radio program, settled a defamation lawsuit yesterday, just before a jury trial was set to begin.
The details of the settlement are not yet known.
The lawsuit stems from a September, 2024, broadcast of Trucker Randy’s program, "Our Defending Fathers," in which he told his listeners that an Onaway businessman, Tom Moran, "shipped in illegal immigrants" to work at his metal fabrication business.
Moran sued Trucker Randy and the radio station for defamation.
The radio station airing the comments is owned by Randy Bishop's wife, Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop, who has recently come under scrutiny from the Michigan Bureau of Elections for making illegal changes to the state's Qualified Voter File (QVF).
Her access to the QVF recently was revoked by the bureau.
The Bishops are also under investigation from the Michigan State Police for a February incident in which a member of the Antrim County custodial staff saw Randy Bishop logged into Victoria Bishop's office computer after-hours, unsupervised.
The Bishops refused to cooperate with the courts in their defamation lawsuit and spoiled evidence pertaining to the case.
This prompted Judge Aaron Gauthier of Cheboygan’s 53rd circuit court to enter a default judgment, holding Randy Bishop and Victoria Bishop’s radio station liable for defamation.
The settlement yesterday effectively ended the defamation case.
