About John

John’s story doesn’t begin in comfort or privilege. It begins in Highland Park, Michigan, once the heartbeat of America’s auto industry, later one of the poorest and most dangerous cities in the country. Born into generational poverty, surrounded by violence and instability, John learned early that survival was not guaranteed and opportunity was never handed out. Everything he has earned, he fought for.

Raised by a single mother holding together six children with food stamps, welfare, and sheer grit, John grew up in conditions most Americans never see. Abuse, crime, and chaos were daily realities. On his first day of high school, he was held at gunpoint. Like many in his neighborhood, he dropped out. Unlike most, he refused to stay down.

John found a second chance at a small Catholic school that let him work off his tuition. He became the first in his family to graduate high school, then pushed forward into college. Even a cancer diagnosis during his junior year could not stop him. He completed treatment, graduated magna cum laude, and earned his law degree while working long hours just to keep the lights on.

While in law school, John chose to serve his country, earning a commission in the United States Marine Corps. He went on to serve as a military prosecutor, defense counsel, and instructor, training future military lawyers at some of the nation’s most respected institutions. His service earned him multiple military honors and reinforced a lifelong commitment to discipline, justice, and accountability.

As a civilian attorney, John spent more than two decades taking on powerful corporations on behalf of cancer victims and working families. He founded his own small law firm with young children at home and crushing student loan debt—because standing up for victims mattered more than taking the easy road. When children were exposed to asbestos through contaminated consumer products, John personally funded investigations that forced international recalls and stronger safety standards.

When government action threatened to wipe out ordinary investors and r etirees, John stepped in again—this time against federal regulators. With no securities background and no corporate backing, he led a pro bono legal fight for tens of thousands of people around the world and won. Once more, the underdogs survived.

John’s life is proof that resilience beats circumstance. His bestselling memoir, Food Stamp Warrior, tells the unfiltered story of poverty, survival, service, and faith in the American Dream.

Now, as a father of three and a lifelong fighter for people without a voice, John believes it’s time to bring real-world experience to Washington. Not a career politician. Not a polished insider. A Marine, a lawyer, and a survivor who knows exactly what everyday Americans are up against.