At a closed-door meeting on Saturday, members of the Michigan Republican Party voted in favor of removing a number of party officials, including party Chair Kristina Karamo.
Karamo, a failed 2022 secretary of state candidate, has faced increasing opposition within the party in recent weeks, with eight of the 13 district chairs signing on to a letter calling for her resignation amid ongoing financial problems as Republicans face a critical election this year. Party Co-Chair Malinda Pego also signed on to petition for a meeting to discuss Karamo’s removal.
A statement from the party released after the vote, called the meeting an “attempted coup” saying the entire process was illegitimate under the party’s bylaws and is illegal based on Michigan election law.
The party’s official account on X also made a post calling the “allegations” that Karamo had been removed false.
“The rogue faction of anti-grassroots operatives who conducted this unlawful process will be dealt with swiftly and accordingly based on the rules of the MI GOP bylaws,” the post said.
Karamo repeatedly voiced opposition to the effort, arguing members could not legally conduct party business at Saturday’s meeting.
The party also released a statement on Friday saying the meeting was out of compliance with party bylaws, including one rule, which declared that the chairman must preside at all meetings. It noted Karamo would not be in attendance at Saturday’s meeting.
Members of the party met inside Cesaro Hall at Multi Lakes Conservation Association in Commerce Township, while some precinct delegates and members of the state committee stood outside carrying signs in opposition to the effort to remove Karamo.
According to the party’s bylaws, any committee member may be removed by a 75% vote of the committee members present and voting, provided there is a quorum present. Members must also submit a petition to request the vote be held, which must carry signatures from 50% of the entire committee. The petition must be filed with the chair, or if the chair is the focus of the petition, the petition must be filed with the secretary.
In a secret ballot vote, members of the party voted to remove Karamo from her position as chair.
Bethany Wheeler, who served as a proxy state committee member and tallied the votes for Karamo’s removal, said 40 members voted in favor while five voted to retain Karamo as chair.
The committee also voted to approve a bylaw change that would reduce the number of members required to remove a board member to 60% of members present and voting. Karamo’s removal was approved by 88.8% of the present and voting members.
Members also voted to remove Executive Director Jim Copas, General Counsel Dan Hartman and Communications Director Robert Owens.
Hartman, who was present at the meeting, voted and participated with opposition, Bree Moeggenberg, a member of the state committee, told the Advance via text message. Hartman walked out after the vote.
Wheeler told reporters that Hartman was removed with a vote of 39 to five with one abstention, Pego.
Pego will serve as acting chair until a new chair is elected, per the party’s bylaws. A statement emailed to members of the party cited performance and transparency concerns as the reason for Hartman, Copas and Owens removal.
“Within the next 30 days, the state committee members will elect new leaders to fill these vacated positions. This process aims to select individuals who exemplify transparency, efficiency, and a strong commitment to the principles of the Republican Party,” the statement reads.
“As the party undergoes this transition, it continues to focus on promoting conservative values and policies in Michigan, maintaining unity and strength in preparation for the upcoming elections.”
While Karamo did not respond to an emailed request for comment in time for publication, Karamo said in a TV appearance on “Let it Rip” on Thursday that she would exit her position if lawfully removed, but argued the individuals supporting her removal had not followed the party’s bylaws.
In 2022, Karamo lost the secretary of state race by 14 points to Democratic incumbent Jocelyn Benson, but refused to concede. Karamo has also repeatedly pushed false claims that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election.
In a statement released after the meeting, Pego noted that the petitions requesting the meeting and vote to remove Karamo and Hartman were submitted “accordingly and pursuant to the Michigan Republican State Committee Bylaws before the vote was taken.”
Karamo’s supporters have accused members of the party of attempting to stuff the meeting with proxies for committee members against their approval.
Darlene Doetzel, a state committee member from Shelby Township, did not intend to attend the meeting as she said it was an “illegal meeting.” Doetzel told reporters she was notified that Barb Zinner, the party’s 10th district chair, had named a proxy to represent her without her permission.
Sandy Wheeler, another state committee member, said Zinner had also named a proxy for her without her permission.
However, the meeting’s organizers argue this was permitted by the party’s bylaws, which allows district chairs to select a registered voter from within their congressional district to serve as a proxy for absent district members who have not provided a proxy during that meeting only.
After traveling to the meeting, Doetzel later told reporters she had voted to support Karamo.
“You’re going to see many losses for the local races here in Michigan,” she said when asked about the result of the vote. “People are going to lose their races because people right now, they think the Republican Party is a failure.”
While Karamo and her supporters are expected to challenge the result of Saturday’s meeting, Moeggenberg said the state party will move forward with its decision and that the “legal paperwork has already been started” to force Karamo to hand over the reins to the party.
Warren Carpenter, a former Michigan Republican district chair who sponsored a report alleging Karamo’s leadership has put the party at risk of bankruptcy, told reporters that Republicans had plenty of time to salvage 2024 with the right new hire.
Michigan is a key swing state in the presidential election and Republicans are hoping to flip the state House, as well as key seats in the U.S. House and an open U.S. Senate seat.
“There’s a couple guys that have thrown their hat into the race, I think. Or at least let’s say dip toes,” Carpenter said. “I don’t know if [Oakland County Republican Party Chair Vance Patrick] is serious. I don’t know, I haven’t really asked him, right. But in Oakland County, I would suggest that, you know, Oakland County needs to be protected and taken care of and he’s done an incredible job there.”
Former Ambassador and U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Holland) has also expressed interest, Carpenter said. Hoekstra had also flirted with running last year when Karamo was ultimately elected.
“He comes with a wealth of knowledge, institutional knowledge, connections, and he’s a grassroots guy. He was one of the first Trump supporters in Michigan back in 2015,” Carpenter said.
Earlier this week, Michigan Republican Consultant Scott Greenlee told Bridge Michigan reporter Jonathan Oosting he was no longer interested in replacing Karamo as chair, saying he was “pretty bullish on Pete Hoekstra.”
Originally published by Michigan Advance. It is republished with permission.
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